Posted by Dan on 31. March 2010 08:08
This year's Jeff Cup was a bittersweet race for Celerity Cycling p/b Fitness Together. Our team has grown a bit, nearly doubling in size this season and our men's Cat 4 group is quite solid. With me Sunday was Wick, Mike, Justin and Frank. Both Justin and Frank recently upgraded to 4 and were looking forward to a well contested road race through the rolling hills of Charlottesville. The rest of us did this race last year as 4s and were relieved to see the sketchiness and anxiety levels had not changed in a year. It's human nature to resent change. Also racing were Steve M with the Cat 5 35+ and Taryn with the Women's 4s.
Our very own spring classic started out with the lot of us huddled in the car trying to stay warm after donning every piece of clothing we brought and anything we could mooch. Weather reports rapidly deteriorated from mid-50s and partly cloudy to barely 40 with a really really good chance of precipitation and finally settling with "Cold and super wet. Chumps."
Our pack of 125 was the first group to leave the parking lot and make its way via "neutral" roll-out to the start/finish line. Justin's first Cat 4 race began with a flat in the roll-out. The wheel truck caught up with him and he was rolling again, thanks to Chad Holm's "last in, first out" wheel. Justin re-attached and the go/slow/stop?/go Neutral Roll-out of Terror drew to a close as we crossed the line and got the Green Flag of Muted Happiness. The pace didn't change much, but it did become more consistent.
The first time around, the climb always seems exceptionally mild. So mild that I thought maybe we'd taken a wrong turn. By lap four, I still felt that way despite the field being strung out and halved in size. Thank you Hunter Allen.
With the initial drama out of the way, we all settled in and waited for the ensuing attacks. Wick was first off and I thought I was doing a great job loitering near the front, holding back the chase with sheer force of will. Eventually he was caught and there was no counter-attack. Sorry about that. There were a few more, but they didn't last. Clearly everyone read Mike Fawell's account of last year's race on GamJams and was waiting to give it hell over the hill on the bell lap. A lack of clothing, poor weather, wet concrete and elevated pucker factor were enough to drive Wick back to the car after two laps. The rest of us trudged on.
After the final turn on the final lap, Justin was next to me, Frank was a few wheels back on my left. Mike had slipped off the back on the last big climb but was diligently chasing. I remember going past the 200m sign when Reid Morris's mount inverted itself, depositing him on the deck immediately in front of me. So I hit him. Hard. Broke my newly built 2010 Trek Madone 5.9 carbon fiber frame into two distinct pieces held together by frayed cables. Matt Keane, not one to be left out of good pile up, took a running start at the carnage and went down too. You've probably already read the other accounts of riders coming around the final corner to find three dudes on the road, or Frank's recollection of sprinting through the final few hundred yards and seeing my shredded jersey where there should have been no jerseys. I just want it to be known that I would have won that race - easily - had I not gone down. I'm just sayin.
Justin managed to execute a flawless finish and snatched 2nd place. Frank tip-toed through the carnage and sat-up for 50th and Mike took 62nd. Matt Keane even peeled his bike off the pavement and finished 67th. I didn't know we could do that.
After my brief stay in the ambulance, I was released to my Subaru which I used to seek food. Bloodletting always makes me hungry. My apologies to Taryn and Steve for missing their races. Were I able to hop up and down while shouting encouraging things, I would have. Taryn had a good finish in her race, besting the remnants of a 43-rider field in the bunch sprint while chasing a break of 6.
Having been dealt the biggest losing hand of the day, I'd like to say I should have stayed home. Truth is I'd probably do it again, but this time I'd follow Justin. Thanks to Ruth Stornetta, Monticello Velo Club/Blue Wheel and everyone that made this 20th anniversary Jeff Cup happen. We appreciate it. Now buy me a new bike.