Last nights Mid Week Crit race was a shredder. Still nearly 100 racers showed up. The 30+degree temp was not enough to detour anyone. Last night the toughest sport in the world just got tougher.
Pics by Juan Farias (Baddass mechanic)
From the start of the race I was sitting near the back. Unfortunately I still had it in my head that I still don't have my fitness back after being sick, and taking the time off. So slowly as the race progressed I started moving up. From my vantage point I think everyone on the team took turns at the front of the pack. I could see Emilio dragging the pack for a while, but I could always see the black and white team outfit standing out as a beacon of hope and dogged determination , telling me to get up there and engage thrusters.
Eric and me
When they held up the sign saying 20 more laps that's when I made my move for the front. I got into a small 3 man breakaway with 2 dudes I have never seen before. We lasted about 2 laps. Then Eric Box (pictured) bridged the gap , catching me and dropping me. I slinked back into the peloton, but we caught them shortly after .
Penultimate lap , Marc screams to me "Doyle, get on my wheel!!!! NOW!!!!" Somehow, from where I was in the pack I made it over to his wheel and held it for a while. We were accelerating out of the pack which was already doing over 50kph. As we rounded the second last corner Marc puts down such a retarded acceleration that he is able to ride me off his wheel, and in turn all the guys who were on my wheel. He takes off. With about 400m to go , but 75m ahead of the pack he sits up and pulls to the right thus letting me and the whole pack catch and pass him. He thought that there was already a breakaway that has crossed the line. Wrong. He was the breakaway. Regardless, Andy got a 2'd place in that sprint. And I think all of us were probably top 30. I had maybe my best night to date. Thanks also to Auntie Candy for looking after my boy so I could race!!!!!!
Eric dropping me
From the start of the race I was sitting near the back. Unfortunately I still had it in my head that I still don't have my fitness back after being sick, and taking the time off. So slowly as the race progressed I started moving up. From my vantage point I think everyone on the team took turns at the front of the pack. I could see Emilio dragging the pack for a while, but I could always see the black and white team outfit standing out as a beacon of hope and dogged determination , telling me to get up there and engage thrusters.
When they held up the sign saying 20 more laps that's when I made my move for the front. I got into a small 3 man breakaway with 2 dudes I have never seen before. We lasted about 2 laps. Then Eric Box (pictured) bridged the gap , catching me and dropping me. I slinked back into the peloton, but we caught them shortly after .
Penultimate lap , Marc screams to me "Doyle, get on my wheel!!!! NOW!!!!" Somehow, from where I was in the pack I made it over to his wheel and held it for a while. We were accelerating out of the pack which was already doing over 50kph. As we rounded the second last corner Marc puts down such a retarded acceleration that he is able to ride me off his wheel, and in turn all the guys who were on my wheel. He takes off. With about 400m to go , but 75m ahead of the pack he sits up and pulls to the right thus letting me and the whole pack catch and pass him. He thought that there was already a breakaway that has crossed the line. Wrong. He was the breakaway. Regardless, Andy got a 2'd place in that sprint. And I think all of us were probably top 30. I had maybe my best night to date. Thanks also to Auntie Candy for looking after my boy so I could race!!!!!!
