January 20, 2013, Avondale Masters 55+
Avondale AZ
Report from Lionel Space, Phoenix AZ
The second Arizona Criterium of the year, held in Avondale, just West of Phoenix and this year they had a 55+ Masters category that raced simultaneously with the 45+ race.
The course was exactly a half mile per lap and perfectly flat, with basically 3 right turns and a long curve.
The final straightaway was 160 meters.
Normally the optimal place to begin the sprint is just before coming out of the final bend.
We had totally calm winds at 71 degrees
All the big names were in attendance again, with a few more that were unfamiliar to me in the 45-49 age range.
Plus, some of the better riders entered at the very last minute and I was not able to research them.
There were 24 in the 45+ group and another 12 in the 55+ group that would all participate together, but get scored separately.
Even though I had entered the 55+ race, I still wanted to be the first across the line of all the racers.
I started on the line at the outside and was first through the first corner, wanting to avoid any congestion and possible early crashes.
I continued on at a moderate pace and was surprised to see that 3/4 of the way around the course, the pack was out of sight behind me.
I finished the first lap alone and ahead, but I had no intention of trying to stay away for 35 minutes.
If someone or a small group joined me, I'd certainly work to help keep the break away, but I didn't get any takers this time.
I slowed down from 26 mph to about 24 mph and let the group catch up and joined the pack.
We had several solo attacks and sometimes another solo rider going off and riding in limbo.
The pack would keep an eye on them and after a few laps, a mild acceleration would bring them back to the fold.
The laps were averaging about 26 to 28 mph, so it would be hard for a solo rider to keep away.
Not knowing the abilities of the 45+ riders, I'd have to judge the temperament of the pack in their desire to chase as to the strength of the rider(s) away.
I'd try to keep an eye on Keith and Mark to see their reactions and occasionally went on a chase with them as we reeled in the more serious riders.
I was having absolutely no problems with maintaining the pace.
With 7 laps to go, a rider in a white jersey jumped off the front and made good progress fairly quickly.
He got about 10 seconds on us and maintained that for several laps.
Various riders were changing guard at the front and I couldn't tell if riders were blocking for him or trying to reel him back,
but he was right at that distance where he could succeed if the efforts of the pack subsided for a bit.
I had been watching Mark as we came down to 4 laps to go in preparation for the pack sprint and I thought he was a bit too far from the front.
I would have to play my tactics on position (instead of rider's abilities) as we came to the final laps and take my chances.
With 1.5 laps to go, I moved up into the top 8 and moved up a little more with 2/3 of a lap to go.
As usual, the pace increased with one lap to go and the final lap averaged 30.5 mph.
With half a lap to go I picked my gear of 50x14.
I felt like I was in fairly good position, near the front, but not at the front, but the curve in the final 200 meters always complicates things.
As we got to about 220 meters to go, a rider in bright orange sprinted off the outside and I was trapped by two Landis riders in front, the curb on the right and another rider on my left.
The pace was rapidly picking up, but I was still itching to unleash my sprint and looking for a hole, wishing for a hole, gambling that the gaps between riders would be sufficient.
With about 180 meters to go and still in the curve, I jumped between the two Landis riders who had left just enough room for me to squeeze through.
Doug, the rider in orange (age 46), now had about a 4 length advantage and I made it my goal to reel him in, hoping I could beat him to the line.
But the finish line was too close and I could only close about 2 of those lengths, finishing second in the group, but still the first 55+ rider.
Summary
Start
Time |
Distance
(Miles) |
Starters |
Duration |
Weather
(Deg F, mph) |
Speed avg
(MPH) |
Speed Max
(MPH) |
HR avg
(BPM) |
HR max
(BPM) |
| 4:25 pm |
14.3 |
12+24 |
32:30 |
71, Calm |
26.4 |
34.3 |
167 |
190 |
Top 3 55+: Jim Pongratz, Lionel Space, Greg Barrett
Results
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