April 13, 2013, AZ State Criterium Championships
Phoenix, AZ 40 minutes
Report from Lionel Space, Phoenix AZ
Many thanks to Julie Morgan for the photography.
(Images can be clicked on for a larger version)
The Criterium State Championships were held on the same course as last year;
a mostly rectangular course, riding counterclockwise around of 0.8 mile and a slight upwards grade on the front stretch.
The weather was gorgeous: sunny, in the 70's, and a bit of a breeze from the ESE.
I had a bit of concern with the tightness in my legs after last week's three races and hoped that I wouldn't develop cramps before we finished.
During my typical 4 minutes of warm-up, I felt fine, so things looked good.
I was disappointed at the small turnout and none of the riders from down South came up to join us (Dwight Nelson, Jon Roberts, Jay Guyot, Bill McDorman), so only 9 started in our category, compared to 19 last year, although 11 had paid a registration to race.
The officials separated us from the 21 50-54 racers that would be on the course at the same time and we were given instructions that the groups could not work with each other.
The 50-54 riders started 30 seconds in front of us and they had all the big name riders in attendance that I would normally be watching when in a 50+ race: Brodhagen, Fosenburg, Lemke, Baker, Kurtz, Silvestri.
In our category, David Bixby would be the primary threat and Greg Barrett had been right behind me in many of the bunch sprints this season.
We started off rather moderately, which was just fine by me.
If we just dawdle for the whole race, I'll be very fresh to take the final sprint.
David would take lots of turns at the front and I was sure not to be more than one rider away from him, as I was expecting him to attempt attacks up the grade after the start line on any of the laps.
This meant that I was usually in the top four and occasionally taking some turns at the front, but at our slow pace that would not be taxing.
The first 3 laps we averaged 22.4, 23.9 and 24.4 mph.
Getting instructions at the start.
Strongest 3 in the 55-59 category.
Finishing lap 1.
Finishing lap 3.
As we began lap 4, David picked up the pace a bit and I was diligent to stay with him.
We averaged 25.7 mph on that lap and to our surprise, we caught the 50-54 category pack on the hill after the finish line.
Since we were not supposed to mingle and we were going faster, I took the lead after turn 1 and tried to lead our group around them.
However, it did not turn out so cleanly as 4 of us got ahead of the pack, then 4 of the 50-54 riders were in a small group, followed by the rest of our category with the bulk of the 50-54 pack right behind them.
We averaged 26.6 mph on that 5th lap, trying to keep away from the other category, but it didn't seem like we were flying, just trying to keep apart.
David and I kept taking turns at the front, just doing our thing and averaged 26.7 on lap 6; Greg Barrett was able to catch up to us to make it a threesome.
I wasn't desiring a long break and David ceased putting on the pressure and we averaged 25 mph for the next two laps, which allowed the two packs behind to catch up with us and we were practically one group when finishing up lap 8.
Lap 4.8, 4 Cat-55 leaders,
followed by 4 Cat-50 leaders.
Right behind them, 4 Cat-55 riders,
followed by Cat-50 pack.
David and I pressing on during
lap 6.
Lap 8, too intermingled.
David and I maintained the pace at a bit over 25 mph and found ourselves a lap later with a margin on the pack, with Greg Barrett able to keep up with us.
After doing only 25.1 mph on lap 10, we eased up and the 24.2 mph on the next lap allowed a couple of the 50 category riders to catch up.
We expected them to put on the pressure and ride away, so we eased up and sat behind them and off to the side, but they just dangled in front of us.
This somewhat interfered with our tactics and any attack would put them in our way, but it also played to my advantage in that we took it easier, which would allow me to have a better finishing sprint.
3 away on lap 9, one Cat 50 rider in pursuit.
Larger margin for top 3 on lap 10.
2 Cat 50 riders with us on lap 11.
The 3 cat 55-59 riders together on lap 12.
We were getting closer to the end and I was expecting the 5 laps-to-go board to come out in the next couple of laps.
David and I had been doing all the work and Greg was sitting at the back of us, saying that he was just hanging on.
Greg has not beaten me in a sprint this season, but I was expecting that David would do some more aggressive attacking to try to shed him before the finish.
As we were approaching the finish of lap 13 (a bit more than 7 to go) on the stretch between the two final corners, David sat up and looked over his left shoulder soon after I had finished taking a turn at the front.
At this same time, Greg had the intent of finally being willing to contribute and started to come around David on his right to take a turn.
Since David was looking the other way, it also caused him to drift out a bit to his right, which normally would not be a problem, but Greg was there now and he clipped him, putting himself onto the ground.
I was slightly behind David and on his left and I was able to make a quick jump to the left to narrowly avoid him (the announcers saw this and announced over the loudspeakers that I had taken David down).
I eased up to wait for Greg and he informed me that he didn't mean to do it, he was just moving up to take a turn.
I told him that he was going to need to do more turns now that it was down to the two of us and I kept the pace up.
Most criteriums have a rule that if a rider has a crash or a mechanical before 5 laps to go, they can take a free lap after visiting the officials stand.
So with 6 to go, David rolled up to join the two of us and we were a threesome again.
Looking back at David's accident.
David marching on, but bloody.
3 back in front with 5 to go.
With 3 laps to go, we still had the two 50-54 category racers dangling in front of us.
I didn't like having them in our way for the final sprint as I knew I was much faster than either of them.
With 3 to go, the officials rang a bell for another prime.
With two to go I tried to pick up the pace so that we could finally ride our race without them and happened to be first across the line for the prime.
However I didn't want to use up too much energy this late in the game and with one lap to go, we were all together again.
3 laps to go.
Leading our threesome
with 3 to go.
2 laps to go, trying to shed to 50-54 riders,
taking the prime in the process.
1 lap to go, 5 riders, 2 categories.
Somehow the 3 of us cat 55 riders drifted ahead of the other two up the hill and we could do our own thing for the finish.
David was leading after turn 2 and I was not going to take another pull.
I waited as long as I could before the final two corners (as there was a headwind between those corners) and jumped past, being first to the penultimate corner.
By the time I got to the last corner, I had a 10 length gap on Greg.
I took the corner on the inside and looked back to see my advantage and saw that I had easily taken the race, as the announcer said "by a country mile".
Greg took second and a battered David took the last of the podium spots.
Setting up for the final corner.
10 lengths ahead of Greg
(look carefuly at the edges of the picture).
Coming out of the last corner.
Victory in hand.
Cat 50-54 riders
approaching final corner.
Podium, wearing provided champion's jersey.
Final Lap:
We averaged 26.2 mph on the last lap (not the fastest) and I hit 34.9 mph on my jump just prior to the penultimate corner.
Our average speed on this course last January was 25.8 mph, so 24.7 felt rather mundane and not at all taxing.
However, it was rewarding to finish ahead of all the 50-54 riders as well as being the first 55-59 category rider.
A nice aspect of this race was the awarding of a champion's jersey to the winner of each category.
The bad news for David was that the crash cracked his carbon
Cervelo S5 frame (retail value of $5900).
Summary
Start
Time |
Distance
(Miles) |
Starters |
Duration |
Weather
(Deg F, mph) |
Speed avg
(MPH) |
Speed Max
(MPH) |
HR avg
(BPM) |
HR max
(BPM) |
| 8:40 am |
16.0 |
9 |
39:00 |
78, 8@ESE |
24.7 |
34.9 |
165 |
183 |
Results
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