March 30, 2013, Tolero Criterium #1
Oro Valley, AZ   30 minutes
Report from Lionel Space, Phoenix AZ
Many thanks to Julie Morgan for the photography.
(Images can be clicked on for a larger version)

An early morning criterium on a popular half mile technical course just North of Tucson meant hitting the road at 5:15 am. My neighbor Julie Morgan accompanied me to help pass the time and keep me awake. The weather was below 70, but warming up quickly under the overcast skies.

We had 17 50+ racers divided up into 50-54, 55-59, and 60+ categories for both combined and individual category prizes. There would be 4 primes during the race (special sprints for premium prizes outside the overall standing awards).

My goal on this race was to not let anyone drift off the front. The last three races that I didn't win were primarily due to my own inattentiveness to monitor the front of the pack and be with the lead riders when they made their strong moves. So I had 30 minutes that I had to remain vigilant.

There were no threatening contenders that I was aware of. Dwight Nelson and Scott Baker can time trial if they are allowed to escape, but don't have much of a sprint. An unknown rider from Seattle was Nick Duckstein and his record on the USA Cycling web site didn't indicate that he was super powerful, but I didn't know what his skills were.

At the start, my foot engaged the pedal on the first try, so I pulled into the lead to avoid congestion at the first corner. I maintained a moderate pace along the top of the course and seemed to be getting a bit of a gap through the chicanes. As I descended on the back stretch after the sharp turn at the top of the course, my lead increased, as it did again as I took the final corner. I wasn't going hard, but apparently the other riders were struggling a bit. So I kept the pace up the hill and along the top stretch again, but decided to ease off on the next descent on the back stretch, as I had no intention of going solo for the entire race. If a rider or two had joined me for an early break, then I'd contribute, but having the best sprint of the group meant that my best option would still be to not wear myself out in a break. Thus the average speed dropped by about 2 mph for a couple laps as everyone else recuperated, with Dwight leading the pack.
Off we go. I'm on the far left in black. Dwight leading at the end of lap 3. All together still at the end of lap 6.

As we got the bell for the first prime, I was in second position on Dwight's wheel. As we went up the hill, there didn't seem to be much enthusiasm for the prime, so I came around the left of Dwight to give it a go and Marco Bonelli came up on my left with great effort and his bike making a lot of noise. I didn't want to waste a bunch of energy, so I let him continue on to take the first prime.

We had an occasional acceleration, but no dangerous attacks and I was quick to jump on anyone that ventured off the front. Dwight tried to sneak off the front while I was in about fifth position and I closed it down on the back stretch immediately. If he kept pushing the pace, then the two of us could escape together and he could at least get second place, but he seemed to lose incentive when I joined him. He continued to lead up the hill as we got another bell for a prime and was still leading as we continued around the course to the final corner. Again I thought I'd give a mild effort to take the prime and this time Nick Duckstein came flying by and was several lengths off the front as we crossed the line. I quickly got onto his wheel after the first turn and another rider soon joined as, establishing a break of 3 as we began the descent, but none of us seemed intent to keep it going and we were soon absorbed by the pack. So Nick would be one to watch, not only for his strength of a possible solo break away, but he could be a threat in the final sprint. About 4 laps later this was confirmed as Nick took the prime again in the same fashion and I chased him down at the top of the course to keep him contained.

So far I was successful in keeping anyone from getting away. We soon got the 5 to go lap board and I expected things to get a bit more animated and the speed picked up a bit, but no surprise attacks happened. Also with 5 to go, they rang the bell for another prime and as we came around on the next lap I was able to move to the front as we went up the hill and nobody challenged me to cross the line first, so an easy prime win with no effort. The next several laps were fairly uneventful, although Dwight took over with 2 to go and started forcing the pace.
Dwight leading on the back stretch
approaching 4 to go.		 3 laps to go. Sitting on Nick's wheel. 2 laps to go, Dwight leading.

Just after we crossed the line with one to go, there was some shuffling at the top of the course and Nick was able to get onto Dwight's wheel and I tucked in behind him as we took the sharp left turn at the top of the course before the descent, leaving me in third as we approached the final corner for the final time. I was waiting for Nick to make a move, but he seemed content to sit on Dwight's wheel until after the final turn. I didn't want to chance getting stuck behind him in the scenario that he didn't take the corner well and let Dwight take the win and I saw that there was enough room to pass on the right. I gave a strong acceleration on the section just before the last corner, aiming for the 3 foot wide gap between Dwight and the outside curb and as I closed in on the hole much faster than Dwight, he started moving over to close it. There was no time to slow down and I had to give a quick series of shouts to warn him to not move over and I just barely squeezed by him without contact at 35.6 mph, avoiding both of us going down. I still had to feather the brakes a bit before the turn, but I hit the last corner with several lengths advantage and still gave it a strong sprint to the line, in case Nick was faster than I thought, but I took the win with several lengths in hand while Nick was able to pass Dwight on the final stretch for second overall.

The prize for the overall win paid cash, enough for the gas and the entry fee; so a free race. The individual class prizes were water bottles and water bottles were also the prizes for the primes.

Summary
Start
Time		 Distance
(Miles)		 Starters Duration Weather
(Deg F, mph)		 Speed avg
(MPH)		 Speed Max
(MPH)		 HR avg
(BPM)		 HR max
(BPM)
7:40 am 11.9 17 28:40 70, Calm 24.8 35.6 163 182

Results

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