NorthShore University HealthSystems Grand Prix

Race: NorthShore University HealthSystems Grand Prix
Elite 4/5. Full field (75 riders).

Weather: Unseasonably cool...low 70's, overcast

Course: Ok pavement. Road narrows in last three turns. Fifteen 1-mile laps...so it was going to be fast.

Interesting Facts: I was actually born here at St. Francis Hospital back in the 70's.

Race: They closed off downtown Evanston for this race in Chicago's town to the north. Same great promotion, different location.

We were the first to go off at 9AM. The promoters were a bit behind setting up the course and pulled those of us warming up on it early, so warm-up was just OK. Still feeling tired, but ready to race, just not in my usual style of a flyer off the front. Got into the third row at the start line. This is soooo key in a short race. People who were in later rows never had a chance and were gapped and dropped on the first lap.

After some long speeches and some standin' on one leg exercise, the airhorn went off. Got into the top 1/3 of the group and hung in at 15-20 place for about half the race. A break happened in front of me and a couldn't make the split. The pace was clocked around 31 mph. (As an aside, they had a radar stand that told you how fast we were going which was cool.)

I kept pushing and we got about 4 guys together in a chase for the lead group. I would like to think we could have caught up. I heard spectators even yelling that we could and we were going around 27 mph and supposedly the pack was letting up...but no one knew how to do a pace line...even two guys on the same team that were in the chase group with me either gapped wheels or wouldn't pull through for each other.

I ended up taking a pull on the front a couple of times because our pace kept dropping. No one would pull through when you came off the front...instead they would attack the chase group or surge up on both sides. There were a couple crashes, but all of them behind me. We had a delightful little sprint at the end for meaningless places.

Good fitness race though. Short enough to keep everyone hammering for the whole time. They should have pulled some riders that we lapped. They screwed up our pace on a couple of the corners.

Super Lessons from Super Week:
Fun time and a great experience. The weather was unseasonably cool this year, which helped make the races enjoyable. With the exception of Bensenville, this would be a great series to come out and race as a team. It's definitely competitive and you can see the team tactics being used.

I'm tired, and the life of a cyclist trying to make it in the pro's (which isn't me) doesn't look easy. But being that this is as close as I'm gonna get, it was definitely fun for a week. I feel more fit and have gotten a lot of great experience in a short time. Still lookin' for glory in the 4's, but having a good time...and I'm leaving with all my skin in tact.

I started looking at some races next week in WI...but I need a break. I'm handing SuperWeek off to the the Dolce Divas and Mr. Devin Koch. Best of luck in the Cheese State and keep us posted on your races/results! See y'all in SF at the end of July!

Soldier Field Cycling Criterium

Race: Soldier Field Cycling Criterium, Elite 4/5

Course: South parking lot at Soldier Field on the Lake Front. Winding course with 8 turns and one long straight. Pavement like industrial grit sand paper...great grippage, don't want to fall on it.

Weather: Upper 70's with strong wind from the west. Sunset with the city skyline behind us.

Race: Rode from my apartment over to the course at Soldier Field. Nice ride along the lake front, dodging tourists along the way. Pretty tired from the earlier race at Bensenville and having issues with appetite and getting refueled.

Biggest field I've been in while here. Over 50 riders. A quarter seemed to be XXX. There were also a couple teams I hadn't seen to date. John Vandevelde (Christian's father from Team Slipstream) gave us an opening chat and promoted Chicago for the 2016 Olympics. Fun. And then we were off...

The pace was relentless. The course was maybe too wide open as people's lines were everywhere. Only a couple riders called "Inside" on a few of the turns. Some would appear out of no where. A couple other riders would bomb the corners and then and look back. I have no idea why.

XXX had a break from the start that held the entire time. I worked to try to move up on the backside, but ended up fighting for a crappy position at the back 1/4 of the pack every lap.

Two guys crashed with about 4 to go, but the pace kicked up quickly. Sunset blinded you coming into the finishing corner on the last laps. Held onto a back of pack finish.

Lessons Learned:
Great fitness race. I'm tired and can see it in my cornering and confidence. Taking a day off before I get back on the bike for Sunday's crit in Evanston.

Ray Basso Bensenville Criterium

Race: Ray Basso Bensenville Criterium, Masters 4/5, 30+

Weather: 80 degrees, sunny and humid with strong west to east winds. Now that's a Chicago Summer!

Course: Twenty-three 0.7 mile laps. The map fails to point out the following facts:

1. The direction of the race is opposite what is shown.
2. The race start and all non-street parts are on an extra wide bike path or through a parking lot.
3. If you cut the turn onto George too close, you will launch off a city curb.
4. The 160 turn off of John is over a curb cut with a drainage grate that couldn't be taken at speed.
   
5. The bendy part on the bike path is next to a children's play ground with a 12" drop off into wood chips and a jungle gym. We were warned to pay attention at this point because a child's ball, or perhaps a child, might come shooting out onto the course. Whew, disaster averted!

Race:
Started an hour late, which means I got a very long warm-up. The race didn't have a crowd and the commentator didn't really bother trying to fake it out either. Don't recommend this one for next year.

I watched the elite 4/5 before us. It was split up all over. I decided I wasn't going to start at the line and go on a flyer from the start. I recognized some of the stronger riders, particularly #600, who lined up to my right. I figured I would get on this guys tail or in his break and hopefully ride it to a better place than 26th.

I set out and got positioned in the top 20. I even sat in for the first few laps. The peloton sprinted out of every corner, which was a LOT of sprinting. By lap 3 or 4 a break got up the road on the back stretch. I could see #600 up there with another rider. One guy from the pack broke up to join them. On the next lap they still held about 50 yards on the field. I jumped the gap up to them. I was happy that I didn't bring anyone with me. However, we couldn't get anything going and were brought back by the Start/Finish. #600 dropped back somewhere in the peloton, and I did a pull at the front on the backside. I quickly got off and dropped back into the group, as well. The pack would surge every time on the straights and you couldn't make up places on the rest of the course. There were a couple riders who dove the corners, and got called out for it. I almost got pushed off the course on one corner.

Unfortunately, my attention was waining and next thing I hear is there is a guy off the front with 20 seconds. It was a XXX rider and their team had moved to the front to block. The next lap, their rider had 23 seconds on the field. The pack started really gunning the pace. I ran out of surges and got dumped off the back with 2 laps to go. Trying to do better than 26th, I pushed hard and passed 4-5 guys coming off the back. I got 27th :(

Lessons Learned:
I'm getting pretty tired. It's been a great experience to being able to mark different riders and try different tactics every day. I definitely think race fitness is an issue. This race wasn't the best for my back. My neck was freezing up 3/4's through the race. The heat didn't help either, but basically, still going off too early and not a big enough engine.

Arlington Heights Criterium

Race: Arlington Heights Criterium – Masters 4/5, 30+

Weather: 70’s, partly cloudy, headwind on the straights

Course: (see map) Start/finish line in downtown. 1-mile course. 20 laps.

Recap: Bit of trouble getting there. I took the wrong exit on the highway and ended up at O’Hare Airport. Once straightened out and in Arlington Heights (thank you I-phone), I followed signs for “Racer Parking”. When I got there, I was in the middle of a school parking lot with a couple cars of racers looking at each other wondering where the course and everybody was. Put the bike together and rode a half a mile to the course and registration, which was across from a very large and under-used parking garage.

Got in a good warm-up and went to the course and did the pre-ride at full speed. The back section was a series of fast corners (right, left, right, right, right, left) that you had to set up, one after the other. I will refer to them as, “The Turns”. My strategy was get on the line and push the group from the start to get a break in it at The Turns and hopefully get some help to keep the break open.

Lined up on the line. Again, great promotion…full stage with podium, barricades, nice downtown with cafes, announcer, etc. Teams represented were the XXX team and South Chicago Wheelmen (fluorescent yellow jerseys). Starting to recognize some of the other independents as well. Found out from the guy who crashed in front of me at Blue Island that I cracked the rim of his front wheel when I rode over it.

We got the instructions and were off. I shoved off and clipped in perfectly and was on the backside straight at speed quickly…maybe too quickly. I had a 50 to a 100-yard lead going into The Turns. As you leave The Turns, you can actually see the pack entering them if you are out in front. I see the first guy enter the first turn, miss the corner and go flying off into someone’s yard, like he never saw the road change direction.

Went through the Start / Finish and overheard the announcer giving props to Dolce Vita and my aero tuck (Woo! Woo!). After another solo lap, I looked back and saw a wall of black XXX jerseys chasing me down. No one was jumping the gap. I sat up and folded into the top 10-20 places. I used Rob’s technique of jumping on wheels that were pulling to the front and was able to save some energy. There was some sketchy riding and a solo slide-out that was easily avoided.

At about 10 to go, SCW sent a guy off the front that held for a few laps. I decided to not chase. He eventually was caught and SCW countered again, but that only held for a lap.

The pack behavior had a lot of surges from behind, coupled with slowing before hitting the Turns and then sprinting out of the final corner of the Turns. Someone jammed on the brakes in front of me at three to go, before hitting the Turns. I kept upright but had to take the corner wide and loose some places.

With two to go, I was looking for the final surge to take me up to the front, but couldn’t find it and my gas tank was pretty empty. I held on to the back, but couldn’t get into a position for the final sprint and ended 26th again.

Lessons Learned: Still burnt too much energy at start. In retrospect, (and you’ll see in following posts – since these are all being written in one session several days later) I may have a fitness issue as well. Hopefully I’ll be stronger at the end of all of this.

Quick Recap on Devin’s cat 3 race.
Devin armored up with Kevlar arm warmers to protect some of his previous road rash. Yep, that’s Kevlar! The kind they wear in slaughterhouses so you don’t accidentally cut yourself when cutting up the meat. Kevlar is also bullet proof, but we weren’t racing in too tough a neighborhood.

I was watching the race from a Mexican restaurant, talking with an old, grumpy coach from who raced in the Coor’s Light Classic and against Bob Roll. Eddy Van Guyse of Breaking Away’s famed Cinzano team came by and said “Hi” to this guy. My burrito and beer were very welcome, too.

I point out Devin to him as the 3’s start. They go around a couple times and then Devin is gone. Not good. The group comes around a few more times. No Devin. Finally we see him in the pack, but there’s a black streak on his jersey and shorts torn up. Two riders have broken out ahead at this point and have over 20 seconds on the field.

Devin tail guns the pack as the breakaway extends up over a minute. It will come down to a bunch sprint for third. This being Devin’s first pure elite 3 race, makes it exciting to see how the D-train will fair. He moves up to the top 15-20 positions in the final laps.

The announcer gets the crowd pounding on the barriers and cheering as the pack comes into view in the final straight (500 plus yards). Devin appears on the left side of the pack, overtaking his “lead out” and shedding the spent rider. Powering up to the finish, he grabs second in the bunch sprint and fourth overall, just missing the podium. Brilliant comeback!

FYI – The Kevlar arm warmers work. Unfortunately, they don’t make them in shorts…

Super Week - Blue Island Crit

Race: Blue Island ProAm Criterium, Masters 4/5 30+, 75 person field (but only about 50 registered in the end). Pavement good, but with some weird bumps coming out of turn 2 and just before turn 4. 20 one mile laps, no primes.

Interesting Fact: Course was near the Burr Oak Cemetery where 3 cemetery workers were caught last week digging up around 300 bodies and reselling the graves, clearing nearly $300,000. The bodies were found stacked up like firewood.

Weather: 91 degrees, humid, tail/head wind on straights

Goals: Fitness race to see how back injury has recovered. Try to hold position in top 10 and respectable finish.

Summary: One of the best promoted races I've done. They shut down downtown Blue Island (which wasn't too great a feat). They also had a proper stage, banners, announcers, podium with flowers for the winners and registration was easy...and I keep the same numbers for the entire series. Good fan showing too.

The biggest team presence was by XXX cycling. They had about 5-6 guys. Beverly Bike was also represented with 3 riders as well as another team with a fluorescent yellow jersey (Fashion Alert!!!)

Warm-up was ridiculously hot and went through two water bottles for just 20 minutes on the trainer. Did warm-up lap and got to the start and had a position on the line. Hit first couple of laps hard to try to weed out the 5's (which we did - although they don't pull them, you just have to keep a heads up when you lap them). I held the number one position for a lap and switched off with two other guys until we decided to fall back and save some energy. Group usually surged on the back side where the tail wind and a slight downhill occurred. Pretty safe riding for the first 12 laps. There were about 5 attempts at breaks that I could see. I got into 3 of them, but we never had more than 3 riders. We couldn't hold off the group more than one lap before getting washed over on the backside. I felt comfortable fighting for wheels at the front, and contrary to my usual racing was able to win wheels to keep pushing for a top 10 position.

At lap 10 I was out of water and there was a lot more surging. The XXX riders usually had 2-3 riders at the front, but didn't string out the pack much. We kept breaking into corners too. I remember what advise Rob was given re: moving to the inside lines during the end laps of a race to avoid crashes, so I changed my position. I also found myself using a lot of energy to get to the front 10 riders, but loose position mid-pack due to the downhill/tail wind surges. I was caught between wasting energy to counter a surge or kicking up the pace and wasting energy.

Lap 8, just before turn 2, a rider, two in front of me, went down. The rider, directly in front of me fish tailed and went down. He was at my feet on my left as I came upon him and his bike, on the pavement, right in front of me. I'm thinking, "I'm going down but just going to roll on my side and make the best of it." But my front wheel went over the side of his front wheel (like a little jump) and my back wheel followed, airborne for a brief moment, came down and was able to continue through the turn. I checked my wheels...nothing bent and no punctures and my chamois was clean. I got back on the back and tried to move-up in position, so I wouldn't get caught behind another crash. The riders were cleared off the road by the time we came around again, so hopefully, no major injuries.

The peloton started complaining more about holding lines and looking before moving, etc. One guy almost lost it while trying to sprint out of the saddle while in the middle of a turn and wiggled all over. Thank God no one lost a water bottle as it would have been like a mouse running through a heard of elephants. In fairness, there was some sloppy riding.

With three laps to go in the straight away on the front side, some other guy went down on my right and I heard the crash travel from my right to my left. We pushed on. He remained on the ground and an ambulance came after the race and picked him up.

Two laps to go - we did the usual slow down and rest, which allowed people resting in the back to come to the front for the final lap. I couldn't get a wheel and made too many efforts in the race and lost out in the final sprint, finishing in the back of the pack (maybe 20 something). The guy who won the previous elite 4/5 race, won this one as well.

Lessons Learned: The fields aren't as deep as in CA, but the racing is competitive. The race also seemed more of an early season race and it was the first race of the season for some of the riders I spoke with. I will expect more crashes in coming races and need to either stay at the front or sit in on the back.

I need to pick my efforts better. I should have learned from watching the elites, that breaks on that course don't work, but I also wanted to test my fitness level, so lesson learned.

Need to bring/drink more liquids during race.

FYI - IT'S HOT HERE!!!

Incentive to win

Finally shipped the bike out today...all I can say is I now have greater incentive to win so I can recoup my shipping costs. The race purses seem to be a bit better than the "hug and a t-shirt" prizes we see sometimes see out here in NorCal. Hopefully my race planning goes better than my travel planning.

Steve O - DV Super Week Schedule

Coming off a back injury and early retirement this season, Steve O will be rejoining the peloton in July for Super Week in Illinois. Bringing the Dolce Vita Cycling colors to the Midwest, he will attempt to brave the intense heat, humidity and lure of beef sandwiches, and attempt to race back to form and contention. He will also try to get inside the midwest racer mindset, find out what makes them tick, and why Super Week is actually TWO weeks of racing.

Hey Fans!!! Check Out this link for directions, race times and course information:

http://www.internationalcycling.com/schedule.shtml

07/11/2009	Metro South Medical Center Blue Island ProAm	Master 30+ Cat 4/5
07/14/2009	Arlington Heights Criterium	Masters 30+ Cat 4/5
07/15/2009	Ray Basso Bensenville Criterium	Masters 30+ Cat 4/5
07/15/2009	Soldier Field Cycling Series #3	Men 4/5

07/19/2009	Northshore University Health System Grand Prix	Cat 4/5 Men*