And, I had delusions of grandeur in the finale. Just after the pinch, and just before the temple two Major Taylor guys have a conversation and decide to go from there. In the split second one has to decide in that situation I decide to go with them, my thinking being for two guys this is a long ways out but for the third.... I was third wheel for some time as the first MT guy kept going with his teammate shouting encouragement. Then the first was done and now it was up to the other MT guy to keep going. I'm thinking, I'm second wheel (unbeknownst to me Jeff and a Foundation rider were up the road) I may actually place. OK Craig keep it together, then 50 meters before the crosswalk while the MT guy is dying a slow death, I hear the dreaded whoosh of deep section wheels. The sprinters are coming and in a blink of an eye are going. I think about sprinting but everyone has a head of steam and are flying past me. I pedal through for a mid-pack finish. Oh well. It was a great learning experience.

I am attributing the episode to what may be a spider bite on my leg or too many pina coladas last night.

On to the race.  Mr. Pedersen was a no show.  I grabbed 2 points today just to say I did.  I have enough points to keep the dots for the podium next week.  The previous two races were a Kissena smack down in the dots competition.  I had trains running, guys sweeping my wheel and guys bridging me to breaks on the kom laps.  It couldn't have been scripted any better.  All I had to do in those races was follow wheels and throw in a kick towards the top of the hill.  Andy has the green so the team secured two jerseys in the series.  That is pretty cool.  

Jeff will have to give a report as I rode towards the back most of the day.  It was the safest place to ride as I did not want anybody's front wheel to wash out on the chum line I was leaving in my wake.  

I did throw in a nice dig at the boards before the bell.  Truth be told it was a move partially motivated by style points and perhaps a nice Victor Chan photograph.  As I approached the climb, I noticed Jeff and Charlie from Foundation on my wheel with 2 other guys in tow and some daylight behind them.  Thinking that fortune favors the bold, I proceeded to browbeat everyone into working the move.  Truth be told, I cursed like a drunken sailor ! I would apologize for the salty language, but it appeared to work.  The field was getting closer and it was obvious that someone would have to drill the climb to maintain the gap.  It only made sense that I should be the guy with a teammate in the break and all.  So I fell on my proverbial sword and threw in one last dig...and what do you know....it worked.  

Yes, I was as sick as a donkey this morning.  But two things; 1. stick it out as you never know when something good might happen in a race  2.  I DID NOT foil my pads this morning only to sit on the bench !!!!

Yack-Fu

My race report. 

With about 4 to go Altchek asked me how I was feeling wanting to make a plan so the race didn't end in a sprint. We talked about going with 3 to go or 2 to go which was going to be the KOM sprint and decided we'd try the with 2 to go.  After the KOM bell (3 to go lap) before the descent (I believe) a guy went off with a Vidal Partnership rider following. I jumped on them for for a bit and realized we had a gap so started to try to organize. The first guy blew up so it was me and Vidal guy. We powered through the 2 to go line and up the hill where I got the ful KOM points. After the hill he started to fade and I knew I was going to have to do most of the work if it was going to stick. After the hill the 1/2/3 break approached us and our motorcycle neutralized us. I was pissed because we had a gap that disappeared because of the neutralization and I burned a big match. 

As we all came together I saw Altchek back at the front and we discussed what happened. As we rolled past start/finish on the bell lap I saw the friendly face of our dots leader taking some pulls. We approached the base of the hill and Yaks said "I'm going hammer the hill get on my wheel". Not one to argue with a madman I complied and stuck on the TI machine. Yaks dropped off about halfway up the hill and I came around powering to the top. While doing so I heard Altchek yell to Yaks "You're a beast!"  At the top of the hill Altchek came around and started a heavy pull. We traded pulls for a bit and I suspect had a decent gap. Around 3rd street a 1/2/3 motorcycle (the first or second chase group) came next to us and told us to neutralize as our Moto was slowing down. Altchek shouted that we were in a break on our final lap and we shouldn't be neutralized. The motos talked and figured out a plan allowing the break to pass us in the left while we still motored on the right. At one point Altchek said we were caught but I told him the pack behind was the 1/2/3 field so then he realized we were going to stick the break. It was a little confusing with all the 1/2/3 groups so this may not be entirely accurate but I think this was the order of things. 

After the descent before the temple Altchek asked how many point I had in comparison to him. After I told him (he had 25 and I had 17) he said "okay let me win" thinking I was fully out of contention for the yellow jersey and it wouldn't matter. I said "no let's just go for it" and he "agreed" replying something about taking me in.  As we hit the boards he was in the lead powering to the end. At the cross walk I made my move and came around him with the line 50m in front of me. I thought I had it made with my first (and probably only) PP win. Then I heard him shout "You tricked me!" which made me pause and say "no we're going for it". At that point he turned on the gas and came around me for the win. I think I paused to make sure he knew I wasn't being a dick, but clearly that cost me the win. Obviously he wasn't going for with full power up until that point and he's got a helluva kick so chances are he would have won anyway. Who knows.

After the race I told him I never agreed to let him win and he apologized for the confusion saying he'd give me money / buy me coffee etc. Clearly it wasn't about the money. When his teammates asked about the finish he explained to all his teammates about the misunderstanding. He even told me he'd shepherd me to a win next week (I'm sure that's just post race adrenaline talking).  He's a super nice guy and I want him to win the overall. 

Apparently after the race Carl Nelson protested saying we jumped into the 1/2/3 field to maximize our break or something to that effect. We didn't come anywhere near those guys and there were two motorcycles there to confirm that. Altchek blew up a bit at Carl after being called a "cheat" which prompted Charlie's muppet comment. 

Big thanks to Yaks for the killer lead out that created the wining break and all the other Cat 4s who raced in support. We shared muffins and coffee for those in attendance post race. I think with my result may have jumped to 4th overall, not sure about 3rd yet, but we'll see. Good racing with y'all. Look forward to next weekend. 

Oh - congrats to Andy for finishing his first 123 race. The first 4-5 laps were brutally hard so that's a good introduction to local park racing. 

@ Marc 

Real quick

Keith got in the big break during the first 1/3 of the race, actually he started it by rolling off the front. 

Rene got in the first chase group. 

I got in the next one. 

Keith got dropped. The 2 chase groups never caught and ended in no mans land. Rene was close but not quite top 10, I think I was 20th or so. 

It was hot as balls. Joaquin Andy and Robertson (who's that??) all raced aggressive and smart. 

Yes my priority is staying on the podium through the final. If the KOM points come with that so be it, but I'll focus on getting away first (perhaps with another Yaks launch pad) or lining up for the sprint if need be. Would love any help I can get in this endeavor.