RATL 1 2008

Racing season has begun!

Lots of team showing up for the first RATL of the season. With no other racing around, there were big fields for just about everything. I mean 57 in a 1/2/3 field! In Northeast Ohio! Who would have thought?

I really had no idea how I'd go. I've got the hours, but not the intensity, and I haven't had any measurement of where I'm at. So Jump in with both feet and see where I am.

Well, almost. My RATL choices were to do the Master's 45+, cause I can, or do the 1/2/3 race. Let's see... no idea where I am, and I'm going to jump into the super fast? Or just do the fast master's race. I figure either way, it would be fast... and I could last longer in the masters field.

I was pleased that my teammate Tim was joining in the fun too. So we had two in our field. The plan was to stay in the field, and sprint at the end. Simple, but not easy. Talking with others, we had 4 cat 1s, Tim's thought was we let them go, then we have our own race.

There were about 25-30 on the line... 3 Lake Effects, 6 or so MVC, maybe 4 Summit and a bunch of singles and pairs from other teams. And we're off on 19 laps of fun. Pretty simple race. We have a reasonable, though quick tempo for the first 2 or 3 laps. Then Derrick from Lake Effect goes off the front for 3 laps... and the field lets him sit out there. He does get a pretty nice gap.

Then the 1s start to jump. First I hear Braumberger say to another guy "on the hill". So I'm ready, but he doesn't get a space. Then next lap Batke jumps, and we're on him too. The attacks and work from MVC brings Derrick back, and in short order Batke jumps again, taking Rudy and Delgros with him. The field pretty much lets them get a gap... next time up the hill Braumberger jumps away. The race is made at the half way point, the field sits up.

A few guys ask if I think we'll let this go... but by now I'm alone in the field. There are a still a bunch of MVC guys, but they aren't organizing.... one will pull at tempo, and the others sit in. Lake Effect and Summit won't work, and there are only singles and doubles left. It seems MVC is content to race for 5th. I figure I'd help work, but I certainly can't to do it alone. Though when asked, Marut said they would not block but they certainly wouldn't work... Bill and Derrick were still patrolling the front pretty tightly. We're down to about 15.

After about 3 laps of this, I'm getting pretty frustrated with the "tactics" of the Master's race. Not Lake Effect or Summit, they did their job well. Just the lackadaisical pace, everyone still thinks they can get a good placing or something, so they won't work maybe? So I start to put in attacks on the hill, and pull on the decent into the parking lot. At least get some work in. Attack, recover. I think I pulled a small gap on one attack, but nothing significant... I was really only hoping to shed another guy or two by making it a little harder.

With four to go, Sal from MVC pulls through the parking lot with Bill and I on the wheel. Sal just rides us off his wheel pulling into the head wind. I figure there goes fifth place as he holds a couple hundred meters for the next lap...

We closed that down slowly, and he comes back as we go through with three to go, But they adjusted the lap counter by one. 2 laps to go! Whoops... quick readjust of tactics. With one to go, MVC has 4 on the front, with Derrick in the middle, and I'm right on the tail of the train. Should I get into the middle, or sit on and try to get the launch? I try a little of both.

Coming into the hill, MVC kind of slows up a bit, and Derrick jumps. I hop his wheel, as he pulls up along the MVC train. When Derrick starts to fade, I jump on an MVC wheel, and let that pull me a bit, then try to come around, but don't quite get there... 2nd in the field for 6th overall. Last paying spot too, so I earned back the gas money.

I'm very happy with that. I don't know if I totally opened my sprint up, but considering I had no idea what I had today, I'm not complaining. Had the front four not gone away, or if Batke and Braumberger not raced, it may have been totally different for me. I was not in real trouble at any time, but the lull in pace certainly helped me get the place.

Turns out Tim was pushed off the pavement a bit at about lap 7. Not terrible but just enough to disconnect him from the field. Once disconnected, it was off to time trial school for him.

We'll see what the remainder of the series brings.

Results are up SummitFreewheelers

as are a ton of photos from President Rick on his flickr account RATL 1 Photos

Back to work now, see you all next week.