March 22, 2014, Faster Crit race 35+ Cat 4/5
Scottsdale, AZ   30 minutes
Report from Lionel Space, Phoenix AZ

This course is only 0.66 miles around and has the unusual feature of a 180 turn at the bottom of a decline. The participation was low in all the events, most likely due to riders fearing the safety of this turn. Fortunately in my races, everyone used common sense, slowed adequately prior to the turn, and only occasionally scraped a pedal when coming out of the turn. Immediately after the turn, the course rises 20 feet, which doesn't sound like much, but is enough of an incline to make one work if the pace is forced.

The weather was quite comfortable, in the mid 70's, and a mild tail wind down the finishing stretch. Most of the course could be seen from the finish line, so a good spectator course too.

I usually do not race in this category, so I was unfamiliar with all the riders. There were about 4 riders in the Jetset Racing club and this would prove to be important. From the early stages of the race, one of the Jetset riders would get out front and a fellow team mate would purposely ride a bit slower to help him establish a gap. I'd need to chase this down, using valuable energy. This happened many times as they rotated riders.

Although there were 4 primes in the race, I did not try for any of them. I think they were all won by Jetset riders, maybe even the same top rider, but I didn't keep accurate track of that.

With 4 laps to go in our 17 lap race, a rider was given too big a gap. Just at the finish line, I took off and closed him down half way up the hill. He eased up and the rest of the pack caught us, but I had used up very valuable resources too close to the end of the race.

With one lap to go I was in good position, sitting in second and this remained as we went up the hill. Although we had a bit of a head wind down the back stretch, I did not want to get boxed in on that stretch, so I planned to jump before the last turn. Unfortunately, I jumped just a bit too late and could not take a quick and tight corner as the lead rider ahead of me took the corner wide and I had to go wide and slow down. This allowed another Jetset rider to get on my wheel and enjoy my draft into the head wind down the back stretch. Although I was first through the last two corners, the lack of energy and the leadout for the other rider allowed him to easily pass me in the finishing stretch, but I was able to hold on for second. The winner was racing age of 37 years old compared to my 60.

Podium.
 
Summary
Start
Time		 Distance
(Miles)		 Starters Duration Weather
(Deg F, mph)		 Speed avg
(MPH)		 Speed Max
(MPH)
9:34 am 11.9 10 30:00 75, WNW@4 23.8 31.7

Results

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