Tour of Somerville Crit

I've wanted to slay this beast and win it for four years running now. Best finish yet, but still no dice.

So, the best way to understand me and crits is to follow my evolution as a rider.

I never much liked or did crits when I started racing in 1998. But I did one or two here or there with no notable results (a 10th in Fitchburg once). That's it. I always stayed away from Harlem and preferred road races and track racing.

Change careers, get married, have child = semi-retirement. I didn't do much more than some local racing with a minimal amount of fitness.

Return to racing - we had a guy in 2008 Rashad Guerra. He started winning sprints. I got excited about racing again and started riding to work and trying to train a bit. I got better, but still wasn't really racing - more that I was in races and could punch once or twice.

2009 - Rashad is gone, Neil Bezdek is with us. An up and coming Cat 3 who is destined to go places (domestic pro). I rode for him as I could and counseled him as well and frankly, he didn't need my leaddout. I helped him here and there, but not that much. But, Eric Robertson also happened to come along and he got me to race some more crits - Somerville (open to Cat 3's finally), Bethlehem, and I know I did Watermelon as well. I started to like the shorter races and it turns out, I wasn't too bad at them. Still getting stronger but not yet really controlling races as I'd like to.

2010 - great, breakout year. Finally, I've been riding for two years again and am riding well - there were two Cedar Creek races that year in May. I entered the Masters in the first race day and while I only came in 8th, I was aggressive and dropped a chase companion to solo in ahead of the field by using that aggression, and I started to believe in myself. Two weeks later, it was Cedar Creek again and it was a great race - patient in the beginning and I bridged to a break with a teammate in it by attacking into the headwind. I sat on long enough and then soloed for almost a lap to Win! Somerville was the following week and I raced well, but still didn't place well in the sprint - but I had confidence. Did some other crits, including the Saturday crits before Somerville with Lenny and Joaquin. Good stuff, but not good results. Great CX season with Robertson though - 1/2 in the MAC Series. Also the Friday night Riverhead races proved fertile winning ground.

2011 - Last year started so different as I vowed to race from the front the whole time. And I basically did. I had the fitness to be at the front and to really participate in the races. Starting at Branchbrook, it looked like a good year with good results. Rahway saw me take 4th with a great bridge to the chase and then a placing. Cedar Creek was a fail, but the Saturday Crits were - Win (Cat 3) and 6th (Masters) with a big bridge to the wining break. Somerville was with Jan Micko and I went for a break that didn't work, a prime that I didn't win (I wanted it to be a break)( and a last gasp effort to bridge to the wining two man move. Nothing and I rolled in 90th. Still no luck at Somerville, but everything seemed to go better. Watermelon was frustrating and I don't remember the rest of the crits. Riverhead was good again and the CX season was pretty good too.

2012 - Again, the goal of my season is the Jersey Crits. Somerville being the crown jewel. Rahway - 2nd this year as the race was playing for a field sprint and I didn't leave the front, so I attacked at the end - score. Orchard Beach - carving the turns with wild abandon and staying at the front. Not moving up and back. 3rd. So, I was feeling really good about crits and form.

Saturday Branch Brook - I want to win, and the plan is to get Mike away and I'll bridge to his move. We did that, but we didn't stay away. So, the backup plan was to get in front of me and Rene and go for the sprint. I was in front of Rene and provided in the words of Pat Gellineau "domestique of the year" for the leaddout. Rene - WIN!

Sunday - Bound Brook. 6 turns. Sweet as I was just flying through them and putting time on people easily. Stayed at the front like the last few crits and Cat 3 races. Didn't get away, sprint for 4th.

Somerville - I was to be protected and it didn't really work out that way. I stayed at the front, but didn't have the same pop that I had the rest of the weekend. Blocked for Rene as he was snaggin a prime. Blocked for John as he tried as well. End of the race, John came to the fore to lead me out and he and another guy got a gap and powered away. I wasn't going to close it and I really thought the two of them would make it home. Onto the front stretch, John and the guy were away, a guy was in between, and I was second wheel. Turns out, there was a gap (because of crash?) behind us. The guy in front of me Ross from Speedwell, started to jump and close the gap and I was fine sitting on that, but he decided to stop that. I was then far out from home and without a group around me, so I gave it the gas I had. 36mph and going for it, but I got caught with about 300m to go. Saw John get caught with less than 100m and that's all she wrote. 50th or so - best placing yet.

So, the takeaway from my Stage Race of Jersey Races? Race three times in a row and your legs may not be as good on day three!!! Or, I shouldn't have been out late drinking and playing trivia last night.

Next year Somerville - we're coming for you with bigger guns.

Next up - Watermelon, Zeppelin and Giro del Cielo crits...

Let's get em boys...

I wanted to stay clear, I ended up leading out this guy from Albany (who took second) from turn three because he wouldn't come through, @350 to go I waved him through, he said no. At that point I had the option of sitting up, with a hard charging bunch behind, or hammering it and try hold for second, c'est la... I was doubly bummed because, as per plan, I thought Ragot had gotten on the wheel...Would have been a perfect launch. Rene got crashed out the lap before, trashed a front wheel. It will happen!

And john flatted my front. After the race. ;-(

End game didn't work right. I just can't help it if a teammate has such a good chance...

Jeff's Jersey crits weekend:

Friday: My ride out to Manville Madness had to bail. Probably for the best.

Saturday: Raced the 4/5 race at Branch Brook. The best way I can put it is that I had my way with this race. Thankfully, I lucked out by avoiding the crash that brought down Ashley and Joel (whom I just met that morning and seemed quite strong during our warmup laps). But yeah, for the first four laps of the race, I mostly hid from the wind and did a bit of blocking while Lt. Dan got away with a nice-sized break of six or seven that actually could have been the race. The crash happened while Dan was away. I was sitting third or fourth wheel when we finally made contact with the back of Dan's break, and I had myself a good laugh as I rode up to him to say hello and he was sternly lecturing the guy on the front to pull through hard but without surging. He seemed momentarily surprised to see me before glancing back and seeing they were caught. I made my first and biggest attack later that lap after we passed the ambulance cleaning up the crash scene. Got away clean, dangled myself about 50 yards up for half a minute or so, and a guy got up to me. He was not ready to pull through, so I kept chugging for a bit before the ringer who took second in the Gran Fondo came zipping by with Mattie hot on his heels. I gave him a shout of encouragement and happily slotted back onto the wheel of my break-mate in case he had the gas to close it down. He didn't, so I was back in the pack. Eventually, Mattie's move came back. Konrad went for it. He came back. I went again with two to go. I came back. The writing on the wall was sprint. I clawed my way toward Mattie, and Dan shouted over to me to get Mattie's wheel and stay there, but I got knocked off it by some risky maneuvers from some other dude. Rather than fighting for Mattie's wheel, I just powered up ahead of him instead. Despite being really gassed from my latest failed break attempt, I rode up the right side on the back stretch and told Andrew to go get his sprinter (Mattie) and get my wheel. He did just that, and I rode into third position. The ringer from the Gran Fondo was doing a threshold workout on the front, and so it was basically single file for the first six or seven guys. We were flying through the chicanes on the back stretch and I kept looking behind me to see if Andrew and Mattie were there, but all I could see was a Foundation guy on my wheel. Finally, Andrew yelled up to me from behind the Foundation guy, "Jeff, we're right here, keep going!" Holy shit was that welcome information. (Seriously guys, always be screaming at your leadout man, even if it's just a repetition of some random cuss word.) Anyway, long story short, I fought my way by the ringer after the turn, did precisely a minute full gas on the front (478 watts in case you were wondering), and pulled off -- too soon and too slow. Andrew started to spin up the leadout, but he started getting swamped and Mattie had to jump a yawning 400 meters or so from the finish. He led it out for what seemed like forever and started getting passed, but regrouped and clawed back to fourth.

Sunday: Had a mediocre hole shot to the Bound Brook 3-4 race starting line and ended up third row all the way on the left. Somehow, Ragot got second row right in the center. Sadly, this pretty much sealed my fate. The whistle blew, and within one lap of six turns, I was all the way in the box. Forced to brake before every turn, forced to sprint out of every turn. The only daylight was through the headwind. I desperately tried to race out of the box and saw the front twice, but it took so much to get there that I quickly lost spots and again found myself mid-pack. Mike was back there a lot with me, and impressively shot all the way up the right side to make a seriously threatening move -- which Eric eventually made his way up to -- but it came back a lap or two later after a searing chase. Now, my quick little synopsis there may sound neat and simple, but the reality of my experience more resembled the Normandy scene from Saving Private Ryan. Sure, there were still-shot glimpses of Kissena jerseys exiting distant turns some 8-10 seconds before the next chaser, but the vast majority of my attention was devoted to avoiding dead wheels, careening into turns with a tenable position, clumsily dumping away and then greedily gobbling back gears -- but mostly obsessing over the 4-48 inch gap just ahead of my embarrassingly expensive front wheel. Exactly like storming the beaches of Normandy. Mike floated back into the pack by me and said, "you should go up there and counter." "Yeah sure, Bucky," I thought, then inexplicably made a go of it. But, just as I came to the shoulder of the peleton, some counters went, and there I was, fully back in the box. In the end, Eric freelanced to fourth. A commendable display of power and smarts.

I learned a lot in 2 days of racing this weekend. I've been a little frustrated by my lack of results in 3/4 and cat 3 races, but after reading Marc's report I'm able to put it into a little perspective.

I'm pretty new to crit racing. My prior crit experience includes 2x grants tomb, and the watermelon crit. Those are pretty mellow crits with sweeping turns and such, so it's hard to classify them as true crits. So this weekend featured my first and second real crits, and the circuit race at Branchbrook.

Just by doing these races I think my cornering skills improved. On Sunday, Bound Bound Brook started out fast and furious. I thought I was in line to get a good start position, but then someone stopped to adjust their bike sideways right in front of me, blocking me out of the rush to the start line. Ugh. Anyway, I spent the first seven laps hanging on for dear life. Racing at the back of a fast race is not fun.

The pace started to ease up mid way through the race, and I made an effort to move up. I got about midway through the remainder of the field and slotted in. The next lap, the pace eased up and I saw an opening. I attacked and that is when the move Ragot explained happened. I got a little confused when he attacked the dying chase group and came clear through to me. I wasn't sure if I should sit up and let my fly solo or what. After we got that figured out I almost crashed Ragot out by trying to pull off onto the wrong side. Oh well. I was gassed as we were caught and then quickly moved towards the back of the field. I should have slotted in and did something, but I didn't have the confidence to be near the front when I wasn't cornering nearly as well as others.

Monday I started second line, right behind Ragot. I got out fast and settled into the top 20. Nice! 2nd lap a cosmic guy was solo and ragot was setting tempo on the front. I decided to try to relieve him of some pressure by attacking to get up to him, Horrace followed me and the field quickly brought it all back together.

I pretty much spent the rest of the race rapidly moving around field. I got to the front a few times but not enough. I need to work on holding my position, especially in corners. When things are single file I feel just fine, but when there are people taking 4 different lines I'm always a little confused of what to do.

Towards the end I tried to get up to the front. Crash 1 I managed to jump around and actually make up 20 or so spots in the confusion. Crash 2 sent me back 20 spots. Crash 3 was enough for me to sit up and coast in.

Fun weekend. I'm totally coming down with some sort of upper respiratory infection that has been lingering all week...

I'll finish off the week easy and then head to Watermelon / FBF for the weekend.

Wow... lots of action near the city this weekend... I will read all this after work today, but just wanted to congratulate all you guys on races well done. Sounds like we had some shining stars and proper teamwork supporting them. Most excellent!

@ Ragot. I threw a replacement tube in your car, thanks again for the wheel loan and sorting the helmet part.

Re the race, not criticizing... only frustrated not to get you your win and not measuring the effort to get to the line. 650m solo was too far for me, especially after a sick week. I could have let that guy roll around me earlier or waited for you to get my wheel, given that leading you out was the plan. But you know, you make these split second decisions and sometimes you don't make the best ones. Enough said.
My big two big takeaways were: 1) practice gluing on team wheels during races, moving as a team more to communicate and control the race at the end. 2) Moving up to the front early, early at the finish of crits.

Oh and thanks to Renee for the muffin money.

@ John and the cat 3 crew - criticism is fine - constructive.
we do need to see each other and if we're protecting someone, they should have a shepherd. they shouldn't be wondering where is the team? all that being said, I think some of these crits had the team going wtf? this is f-ing hard!

Its a learning experience and when we get it right, we can kill it - witness Branch Brook. I wanted to win, but instead made it so Rene won. Team=strong.

Tour of Somerset Hills Road Race

This is one of my favorite races of the year. Full-Road Rolling Enclosure is part of the reason. Another part is that the race feels like it's blasting through suburbia much of the time—imagine if you could get total dominion of the roads up here, that's what it feels like.

It's also crazy-fast. Flat tire, fugheddaboudit. You flat, you're out. I was talking with a race official Monday, and he said in ten years he's only seen two guys ever make it back from a flat tire, one was a pro on the Pure Black pro team last year, who got lucky in that the pace slowed a little bit before the climb, and even his bridge was a heroic effort. Otherwise, I've seen an entire pro team, six guys, drop back for their leader, and I think only one or two made it back on.

Last year, I wrecked a wheel on a potholed road, and this is a course with lots of potholes, so I put on a rear 25mm tire in hopes I wouldn't have the same experience.

I typically race with two bottles on my bike and one in my pocket for this. I figure the feed zone is too chaotic (it's 52 miles in and you hit it going about 25mph) and I should be able to manage with only three bottles over a three-hour race. Marc had Sarah in the feed zone, and she offered to hand up a bidon, but I declined. (interestinly, after the race, I learned that some guys drank three bottles in the first 50 miles and took a musette with another two or three bottles at the feed)

This year, I didn't know where my fitness was at, so I decided to take Marc's advice and ride conservatively over the flat opening miles. He says the race felt sketchy. I didn't notice that, but the big obstacle for me was avoiding ejected bottles; aka the bottle boogie, not so much fun at 30mph. He also said the turns were, thanks to being fast and blind, a bit scary. Also not sure of that, though I've done the course enough to know what to expect.

Later, I found out that three people, including two Exergy pro riders, crashed out and broke collarbones coming out of some opening turns on the flat first half. So, he's onto something.

I was feeling pretty empty. Not from lack of training, but a jour sans. First one of the year, I think.

At one point, I realized we were coming close to the potholed road. So I moved to the front and stayed there for several miles. Then I realized we didn't take in that road this year.

The race was going by fast. Our average speed was over 28.5mph for the first 38 miles, which is when we hit the first big hill. A .8 mile 5.8% grade that goes up to 10% in the middle. I was feeling pretty dead, but faked it over well and just got in line as we went over the top and down the other side single file at over 40mph.

Next objective is about 10 miles away. A steep climb that comes after navigating a traffic circle and turning left around some more road furniture (very Euro). I hoped I could fake it some more. But, by the time I climbed to the top of the steep pitch, a 1k climb at mile 50 that averages 8.1%, but tilts up to 15% in the middle, that tailed me off the back, our average speed was down to 27.5mph.

I quickly got in a group of four and zoomed down the next hill in a 45mph rotation with the others in hopes of chasing back on. Within about a mile, I knew we weren't going to make it unless the field sat up. A few miles later, we were stopped, offered a bus ride back, or they could take down our numbers and we could ride back on our own. We rode back on our own. Got lost a few times (my fault; I've done so many different versions of the race I was linking different roads). At the finish, we ended up doing the race distance of 80 miles with an average speed of 23.6mph. Not bad for being dropped with 30 miles to go, and mostly just riding it in—and one guy was totally bonked.

BTW, the winning time was something like 2:45 for 80 miles.

Tour of Somerville

Another classic event. The crowds and fields aren't what they used to be, but it's still fun, still festive. Until 2003 or so, it was a Pro/Am, and there would be 200-rider fields on a shorter course with a harder first turn. The speed was incredible. Now, with a II-only field, I find it a bit disappointing. There are plenty of teams, but few of them seem to work together for a breakaway. So it's mostly small groups attackign on their own, getting no support, and getting gobbled by the field for a sprint.

Yes, I lined up at the back. It's been my experience in this crit, and most criteriums, that if I start behind the field, which I only choose to do if I can't get into the first three rows, that I have an easier start, get get clipped in faster, and can move up quickly through the guys having trouble starting. Despite starting behind the field, I moved up to Marc's wheel before turn 3 of the first lap. This maneuver, however, is dependent on the course, field, and skill and strength of the rider.

Like Marc, I had talked ot AXA about breaking away. I knew who their guys were for the break, for the sprint, so I was on the lookout for the right moves. I moved up to behind Marc pretty quickly and was just looking to stay protected from the wind, stay out of trouble on wheels I could trust, move up when it was easy, and pick off the right times to get away.

Pretty much, from the start, I knew that my initial burst for getting away was lacking. Coming out of turn one, I wasn't super at accelerating up to speed. Just makes things harder. All the same, I took several shots. Getting away is hard. What made it harder was that on every occasion, the people I was with would start skipping pulls within 30 seconds of getting a gap.

One of my preferences for attacking is using turn three. The most promising move, in terms of timing and numbers, started on the headwind slight downhill backside. Three guys got a small gap. I attacked from the field with enough time to get a gap on the field before coming into turn three. I could tell the three ahead were going to take the turn slower than I could, so I had a moment to ease up, catch my breath, take the turn faster, and exit the turn on their wheel and quickly start riding with the group. They were already close to spent. 30 seconds later, the guys were skipping pulls. Another 10 seconds, someone attacks by us, and then in another two seconds, the field is on us, though strung out.

My last stab at getting away failed at just unter two to go. I hid for a lap and thought about making a painful and pointless bid for glory if the field bunched on the backside of the last lap. They did. I was a bit too far back, but just as I started to twitch for the move, I realized I didn't have it and the gap I was going to shoot for was tiny, so I dialed back, rode safely until the sprint went away and then rode it in fast

Average speed for 23 miles was 27.5mph.

Hey, look what world champion, ex-pro I beat in the fake sprint for nothing race:

66 Bertucco Marc Kissena Cycling Club New York NY 39 2 225 Cat 2 Men
67 Nothstein Marty Team Alliance/T-Town Orefield PA 41 2 276 Cat 2 Men
68 Partland J.P. Kissena Cycling Club New York NY 44 2 278 Cat 2 Men

I saw him slingshot wide coming out of turn 2 with 3 laps to go and was sure that he was going to be at the front and unleash his mighty T-town legs for a top finish. Guess he thought the race was kinda fast too.

Also, noticed how I totally spanked that punk-ass contrarian JP too? So nah, started in front of him and finished in front of him, so take that punk! Starting in the back with the too cool for school jamokes. Try that at Bound Brook next year, I dare you. harhar.

Posted By: mugwumpAverage speed for 23 miles was 27.5mph.

For comparison, the Cat 3 race average speed for the same 23 miles was 26.8mph.

For those of you who just can't get enough, I'd like to submit a few more NJ crits:

7/22 Freedom Tour of Sterling
http://www.longhillchamberofcommerce.com/coc/bikerace.htm
http://tpks.ws/ElIS

9/3 (Labor Day) Olde Mill Inn Tour of Basking Ridge
http://www.usacycling.org/events/getflyer.php?permit=2012-2423
http://tpks.ws/KeQ5

9/15??? Tour de Fair Haven
http://www.tourdefairhaven.com
http://tpks.ws/29s9

I've included the training peaks files so that you can get an idea of the courses (fyi, the avg pwr numbers are inaccurate - garmin zero averaging 'off'). I did them all as a Cat 4 last year and had a blast. Great races. Pretty tough too, especially the 123 in Basking Ridge; that destroyed my team mates. Great spectator events too.

Tour de Fair Haven is technically a circuit race, but the dog bone shape, with quick corners at either end make it feel very crit-ish. JP and I have done this race for the past couple of years. Last year's event, I went solo though. It's a nice race, with plenty of local places to eat after the race, plus in the past they've had a bouncy castle for the kids.

I did Basking Ridge last year as a 5 and it was only my 3rd race ever, but it was quite fun. They have a kids race for all ages that my son enjoyed and also a bike trick show with some guy hopping around and balancing on ramps and other tricks - again good for the family. I expect to be there again this year.

Check out this slate of local races memorial day weekend. The saturday classic is back:

http://www.tourofsomerville.org/index.html

If you are in town, I would call these a must do. I hope I can get some cat 2 company although I suspect some will opt for masters.

I will be racing all 3 days.

Isn't there also usually a Friday evening race?

Yes they did. I think it was either Bridgewater Crit or Manville Madness crit.

I'll be racing all 3 days (if not 4) as well.

I love these races. ToS is not to be missed. Seriously, don't be a dick.

Sup fools?

http://www.tourofsomerville.org/friday.html

Any 4/5s driving out for any of these races? I'm reg'd for Raritan and will probably do Bound Brook if any other 4/5s are in... Let me know.

Wes -- I'm aiming for Saturday's crit. Tbd whether I'll have my car at this point.

Wes and Mark -- I should be in for both days for the 4/5s as well. I'm visiting family nearby, so I'll already be there for both events.

I'm signed up for the 4/5 race Saturday and the 3/4 race Sunday.

Just got official word that Friday's Manville Madness is not happening this year.

Which one is more technical Saturday or Sunday?

Signed up for the Saturday 4/5 race

Does anyone have room in their car this Saturday? 

i don't think i'll have use of my car saturday.  i do, however, have a rack to use (in case someone has a car but no rack).