May 21, 2009, National Sports Center Velodrome Thursday Night Lights,
Blaine MN Category 3 Track
I had the opportunity to race on the beautiful 250 meter wood track in Minnesota.
This is my favorite velodrome and only 10 minutes from my parents house, who I was spending a couple of weeks with.
This was the opening day of their track season, which has racing every Thursday evening.
I am in Category 3 for track racing, so I have a chance to win (not having to compete against the heavy hitters in the 1/2 event).
All the riders except one, were unfamiliar to me.
Also being the first event of the track season, the form of everyone was unknown to the locals as well.
We had about a dozen participants in each of the three events for the evening.
I was the oldest rider at 54 and my friend Mark Stewart of 52 was also back.
Most of the other riders where in their 20s and 30s except for one 17 year old junior.
Racing started at 7 p.m. and we would be the third group to hit the track.
The track is well lit for after sunset and my regular sunglasses still work well under the lights.
Bob Williams was again announcing the action, keeping the crowd extremely well informed and excited during the events.
They also have a tight knit group of officials that are remarkably professional and proud of their positions.
The weather was warm by Minnesota standards, but I was wearing arm warmers for the first event, leg warmers on the second, and an additional layer on my torso for the last event.
Our first event was a 10 lap scratch (first across the line after 10 laps wins).
On the 250 meter track, that's only 2.5 km.
This would be the race to check out who the good riders were.
Being a short race, it most likely would come down to a bunch sprint.
The pace kept at a reasonable pace for the first half, and then slowed down as we started jockeying for position.
With one to go the pace picked up to full speed and I had let myself get a bit too far back in about fourth place.
Coming out of turn 2 I passed two riders in front of me only to see a single rider up ahead with a huge gap.
I gave everything I had in hopes that I could close it, but he was too far ahead and didn't seem to make up any ground.
So I started off with a second place and a bit perturbed that I had let a rider get away at a critical time.
Surprisingly, the winner was the 17 year old, Colton Barrett.
Maximum speed 36.1 mph, average 29.8 mph.
Mark was able to get a sixth place after admitting that he had gotten very little riding in this season.
The Cat 1/2's, Cat 4/5, and women had their next races and we then had a Miss and Out.
In this race, the last rider across the line is eliminated from the race on every other lap, until 3 riders are left that then sprint for the win.
When less than 15 riders are present, I like to ride this race from the back.
As we started out, Mark took the lead and would continue to do so for as long as he could.
Barrett was sitting in the middle and another rider, Gabe Masiulis, made sure he got the last position, staying behind me.
As we came to the first elimination lap, Gabe came up on my outside before turn 3 and I made sure that I had enough room to pass the other riders on the outside.
On the next elimination, Gabe got much more aggressive and came over me, boxed me in, and eased down so that I was completely trapped.
Coming out of turn 4 and a half length overlapping Gabe, I braked hard, swung up the track, and was able to accelerate enough to get ahead of another rider low down on the track.
I was going to have to work Gabe a bit harder in the future.
On the next elimination I moved up in the middle of the back stretch to make sure I had riders behind me and Gabe went flying past, ending up several lengths ahead of the pack.
After that he decided to change tactics and let me have control of the back and stick more to the middle.
Eventually we got down to the final three and it was Gabe, Colton, and myself.
This time I got right on to Colton's wheel,who was leading our group.
With one to go, Colton jumped from the pole line and I had him right where I wanted him.
I gave everything I had to stay with him, but surprisingly he started pulling away; and further away, and continued to get about 3 lengths on me.
Gads, there was no way I could match his acceleration.
I did my best to try to rein him back in, but the best I could do was to lose no more, holding off Gabe for another second place.
Colton was going to be hard to beat.
Maximum speed 33.9 mph, average 27.1 mph.
Mark pulled off another sixth, although only the top four get points for the overall Omnium for the evening.
Our last event for the evening was a 40 lap scratch race.
I was going to need to either get a late solo break off or form a break without Colton being present if I wanted to win.
The pace started off briskly, with everyone taking a pull, some half laps, some full laps.
With about 30 laps to go, Colton bolted off the front solo and got about eight lengths out.
Typically a true sprinter can not sustain a long solo effort, so the best tactic would be to let him hang out there, burning himself out which would later affect his ability in a sprint.
A lap later, Gabe went off after him with a couple of others.
I sat back with some other riders and watched, thinking that they were still within range to catch if I wanted to.
Colton eased up and was swallowed by Gabe's trio and our little trio eventually caught them as well.
Although a few riders became detached and were soon lapped, the majority of us became one group again with all taking turns keeping the pace up.
I was sitting on Colton's wheel as we continued the pace line and he would slow the pace down a couple miles per hour each time he took a turn.
He was either conserving his strength or starting to tire, but I couldn't really tell.
I would pick up the pace substantially on my turn in hopes of wearing out the others.
My main plan was to try to take a long solo from between 3 and 2 laps to go, but things bunched up and Gabe and Colton where watching me heavily
and the opportunity for a good attack did not present itself.
So back to another bunch sprint where Colton was again untouchable and I struggled to match his speed for another second, with Gabe only managing a fifth.
Maximum speed 34.8 mph, average 27.3.
So I didn't ride this last event very smart and played it way too conservatively.
I probably should have tried an attack as soon as we caught the group after Colton's attack.
And if that failed, I should have tried an attack with about 8 to go right after Colton had pulled off from a turn at the front.
Unfortunately I didn't think of these during the race and let the opportunities slip away.
Next week I'll have to race more aggressively.
Colton of course won the Ominium for the evening and I took second.
Results
Racing page Bike page