With the impending approach of autumn and whispers of cyclocross strong in the breeze, the 2014 US road season has come to an end – but not before I got in one final race. Being in New England for the TD Bank Mayor’s Cup, I decided to head 100 mi (160 km) south to Hartford, Connecticut for the CCAP Connecticut Cycling Festival the following day.
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| The festival included trials demonstrations between races. Photo from CCAP |
Awakening at some unreasonable hour, probably disturbing even the earliest birds of the dawn chorus from slumber, Tiffany caught the red-eye flight back home, leaving me to fend for myself on this one. Angry skies dominated throughout the morning, eventually giving way to patches of blue. With nothing further on the rain radar, it looked to be a dry race, the pavement nearly dry by race time. Eight corners on a tight figure-eight circuit promised an exciting course to finish off the season. A small but quality field and generous prize pool ensured an aggressive race... That is, until the rains resumed.
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| Puddles on Corner 1 after the rain. Photographers tend to hide while it's raining! Photo by Jeff Cote |
The burst was short-lived, lasting perhaps 15 minutes, but entirely unexpected. Unprepared, we were left racing with tire pressures too high for the now glassy corners and slick paint. A series of crashes replaced attacks as several rides slid out on multiple corners with domino effect. The pace came down considerably, the goal temporarily shifting to safe lines and preservation of skin. Soon the sun re-emerged and with it, dry patches of road. We began to push the pace once again, resuming the flurry of attacks. But nothing stuck, too strong was the field. With several classy sprinters in the race, I knew that my best result in a field sprint would be about fourth or fifth. I definitely wasn’t satisfied with that.
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| Single file, Skylar Schneider (TIBCO) chasing a rider up the road. Photo by Chris CT |
Approaching the start/finish, two laps remaining, I sprang out of the bunch. Attacking, out of the saddle, with everything I had left. I settled in around corner one, whipping through corners two and three, relentlessly optimistic of victory. Corner four, my legs began screaming and my lungs burning. I catch a glimpse of the bunch rounding corner three, closing in. Around corner eight and I’m caught, gasping for oxygen, legs lactic, desperately seeking recovery. One lap to go.
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| Leading the charge. Photo by Chris CT |
On the back stretch, the definitive move of the race is made into the final two turns. The slight rise in the road is agony. I stand to sprint. My legs are maxed out. Everyone flies past. The legendary Laura Van Gilder (Mellow Mushroom) claims the win, followed by Amber Pierce (Optum) -- back from injury!, and Sam Schneider (TIBCO). I finish twelfth. “A” for effort? On the positive side, I was one of only a few who did not go down. I’m thankful for that. Great race to finish on. Not a great result, but not a great season. Another positive: I’m left hungry for an awesome season in 2015!
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| Laura Van Gilder (Mellow Mushroom) takes the win. Photo by Chris CT |
Thank you to up-and-coming Canadian talent Marie-Soleil Blais for transport between Boston and Hartford; Dave Schneider between Hartford and Chicago (all mammoth 18 hours!); my mom between Chicago and Crystal Lake (at a very early hour in the morning!); Sam and Skylar Schneider for sharing space in the TIBCO mobile (without me there, sleeping during the 18-h trek would’ve been a whole lot more comfortable for them!); Chris CT and Jeff Cote for lots of great photos; and the Connecticut Cycling Advancement Program (CCAP) crew and event sponsors for making this race happen and offering up an awesome prize purse, including equal prize money for the men's and women's races. The CCAP is a charitable organization that gives kids access to cycling across Connecticut. The event supports the CCAP. Please come out and support this excellent event next year!
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