January 24, 2009, LAVRA Winter Cup 55+
Carson CA   Omnium
(Images can be clicked on for a larger version)

For several years I had wanted to go the the indoor wood velodrome in Los Angeles. This is the only indoor Olympic size track in the U.S., being 250 meters with a 45 degree maximum banking. It was built in 2004 and hosted the 2005 Elite World Championships, as well as several National and State championships. It's about an 8 hour drive for us each way.

To help pay for the facility, there are 5 volleyball courts in the center section and there were tournaments of young girls competing while we had our cycling events. Not only did this add a lot of congestion and noise, but huge nets surround the infield which somewhat obstructs viewing the racing on the other side of the track. And although the facility has many lights, the volleyball courts got the most light, and the track lights where not fully utilized, so photography was very difficult where the lens was not fast enough to prevent blurring. But many thanks to my wife Noel for getting some great shots in trying conditions.

One must be certified by the Velodrome Association prior to racing which is normally provided by a 3 hour Saturday class for a fee. So this event provided one of the rare opportunities where a free accreditation class was provided just before the races and I wouldn't need to make a special trip just to get certified. It is also the only event of the year that they hold at this facility where Masters classes in my age category are available (others are either 40+, Cat A/B/C, or State Championships).

This is my first year to be in the 55+ year age category and the events had 35+, 45+ and 55+ races. I had no knowledge of who my competition would be and we had six riders sign up for the 55+ races. There would be 3 events where points of 7, 5, 3, 2, 1 points would be awarded for each event and the highest total would be the overall Omnium winner.

Miss and Out
Our first event was a Miss and Out, where the last rider is pulled from the event until you are left with a winner. Since we only had 6 contestants, we pulled a rider every other lap. With such a small group, I would start riding the event from the back, making sure I was ahead of at least one rider on each of the sprint laps. I quickly saw that most of the riders were not going to be hard to beat, but there was one rider in a yellow and blue jersey (Ricky Shorts) that seemed better than the others. When we got down to just 3 riders, he and I easily passed the other rider who had led the lap and to his surprise, it was the first that he had noticed me in the race, since I had been riding behind him the entire time.

My plan for the final sprint was to come from behind on the back stretch and pass him on the banking. With about 20 meters before the start of the final lap, he began to wind it up. I thought this was perfect and on the back straightaway, I made my move up through his draft and started to come around as we entered the bank. However, he had saved some speed in reserve and gave another kick as I started to come up his side. I got to about a wheel to be even with him and try as I might, I could not get past him before the line, being short by about half a wheel. So he got the first win of the day. I had used my 49x15 (88.2) gear and maybe I couldn't wind that out fast enough to get the speed I needed as my top speed was only 32.4 mph.

Lineup for the Miss & Out.
Ricky in second looking back.
Lionel in fourth in new Strada skinsuit.		 Neutral lap. First elimination.
Keeping 2 guys behind me.
Coming up to the second elimination. Third elimination. Fourth elimination.
Coming out of the final turn. Trying to pass. Second by half a wheel.


Points Race
Our next event was a 30 lap points race with a sprint every 10 laps (3 total) for 5, 3, 2, 1 points for the first four positions. I thought about my gearing and decided to bump it up to my normal gear of 49x14 (94.5). The majority of my training for the last couple of months had concentrated on sprinting, so I would have no problem with the large gear and it might give me the extra mph I needed to get around Ricky. I had just finished a few laps around the track during an unscheduled intermission when I decided to change the gear and had just enough time to do so. But just as I finished and we were being called to the rail, I discovered my front tire was completely flat. I quickly did a wheel change with Gary Lawrence from Tucson who had made the trip with us and was racing in the 45+ category, and even though he was using a much lower pressure, it would have to do as they were already holding up the race for me.

In most points races, the pack often stays together and there is an acceleration at about 2 laps to go before the sprint and then a regrouping; occasionally there are break away attempts by a small group, since if you can lap the pack, you get a bonus 20 points as well as collecting on sprint points while you're out there. As we started, I had no major plan in mind and we were taking our fair share of time at the front as we got the race underway.

Then at about 5 laps into the race, one guy decided to swing up rather than take his turn. This caused a slow down and excited another rider to attack and another guy to stick to his wheel, while the rest of us sat back and watched. Thinking about the situation, I knew that it may be difficult to beat Ricky in at least 2 out of the 3 sprints (needed to win the event) and that if I could get away, the lack of strength within the pack may limit his ability to chase me down. Most sprinters are not good at long chases and depend on others to keep them in striking range. So on the next lap, while Ricky was watching the other two riders in our group, I eased off the back and got a flying start to jump away from our little group. I hit my highest speed of the night at 35.1 mph during this attack. Within half a lap I had caught the other two riders and went right past them.
Points race: early. Catching 2 riders away. Passing the 2 away.

By the next lap, I was successfully away solo and Ricky was on his own and had not yet caught the other 2 riders behind me. On the next lap, the 3 riders behind me were together, but I had gained on all of them over the previous lap. I would normally look over my shoulder after turn 2 (out of 4) to check my progress and see who was working to chase and to what degree of effort they may be exerting. After quickly winning the first sprint while solo, I considered if I should try to continue or drop back to the group and conserve myself and contest the sprints, which breaks often do. After crossing the line, I sat up slightly at turn 3, knowing the riders behind could see me and would think that I had had enough and would wait for them so that we could regroup. But after taking the turn, I went right back to the pace I had established and I was able to stay away until the next sprint points and take the win for that as well.
Next lap: Out on my own. Next lap: extending the lead. Continuing on solo.

With two wins under my belt, I only needed at least a third place in the final points sprint to win the event, assuming Ricky had taken second on each of the previous points sprints. Since we still had another race to do that day, I eased up and joined the group, hoping I could still take Ricky in the final sprint. With two to go I was on Ricky's wheel and we were behind the other riders. Right after turn 2, Ricky decided to pull up quickly to shake me off his wheel. The other rider in red and blue toward the back of the pack got caught up in our action and either hit one of us or just was not prepared for the sudden movements and he went down. About a second later, I took this as a possible opportunity that might have distracted Ricky enough for me to get a jump on him and immediately attacked. But he had been able to keep me close and was poised perfectly with one to go and easily came around me on the back stretch of the final lap. I had more than enough lead on the next rider to take second without much effort, which gave me the win overall for the event.
Two to go, watching Ricky. One to go, Ricky poised behind me to take the last sprint.


Scratch Race
Our final event was a 20 lap Scratch race (first rider over the line after 20 laps wins). Ricky and I were now tied with 12 points each in the Omnium; two guys were tied for third with 5 points. So basically it was a one on one match between Ricky and myself, irregardless of how we placed in the final event. I had expended a lot of reserves in the previous event, so neither the other riders or myself knew how that might affect me in this event. In between races, I replaced the front tire so that I could ride my own wheel again and finished the job just in time. Our fallen rider had only lost some skin and angry words and was back with us for the last event.

Ricky started off with a brisk pace to try to keep all of us together (if things slow down, attacks happen and things get unpredictable). We got a little broken up as a group at first, but soon were all together again and riding a steady pace.

Then one rider decided not to cooperate and we slowed down. Another rider rode off the front, then so did another and they eventually joined each other. Ricky slowed way down and pulled up the track, wanting me to chase, wearing myself out. Instead I just slowed down also as we got way behind the lead two riders and another in between. Then on the front stetch with about 9 to go, I was able to be behind Ricky who was about half way up the track and he wasn't paying close attention to me, so I dove to the inside and took off, hitting 34.7 mph. I quickly caught the solo rider and a lap and a half later I was passing the two lead riders.
Ricky starting off. Taking my turn in the group. Closing on the two riders in the lead.

I was then on my own again with about a quarter lap lead on the most of the other riders who had regrouped. A lap later Ricky was left with just two other riders, but they were fading fast and it would be up to him to chase me down. I was starting to fade as we came to two laps to go, but I had to win this if I wanted the overall win. Ricky claims that if he had one more lap that he would have caught me, but I still had a substantial lead on him at the finish to win the Scratch and the overall Omnium.
Solo again. Maintaining the lead on 3 chasers.


Overall Omnium results
Place Name Team
1 Lionel Space Strada Racing
2 Ricky Shorts Velo Allegro
3 Victor Visco Team Velocity
4 Mark Wisnosky Acqua al 2/SDBC
5 Bobby Carter SD Cyclo Vets
6 Barnie Feigenbaum Ironfly


So it was an extremely enjoyable trip. Noel, Gary, and I had gone down to the waterfront on Friday evening to check things out and we had a wonderful crab dinner. Gary had grown up in the area and was able to be our tourguide. Although sometimes wet out, the weather was endurable and not cold. Another great lunch on the relaxed drive back just added to it. We all returned very satisfied.

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