It's Sunday Feb. 19th, 2012 and time for the 2nd CBR event. CBR was moving the event over to the Carson course. Slightly different than the standard Paramount course but similar. The power climb on the 3rd leg is slightly harder. The first race this year saw the largest 55/60+ in the history of CBR at 66 riders. I expected a smaller field but wasn't sure what it would be. Swami's, UC Cyclery and Santa Clarita Velo were not targeting the event with a full squad. Velo Allegro and Sho Air/Rock N Road were there with near full squads. Sho Air doesn't have the numbers of VA but all of their riders are young and very strong. Near 55 lined up this time with 50 of the riders finishing. The weather was cool but not near as cold as it can be this time of year. Overcast and a little gloomy. The average temp during the race was 57.5.
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| Sho Air/Rock N Road's Murders Row- Hoffenberg, Nicolette and Schnepf |
The race started on time at 8:15 am and everyone was to race for 40 minutes though all the races so far this year have fallen a minute or two short. The race director's way of making up time and keeping on schedule. The racers were given the signal to go and off we went. Sho Air went to the whip right away. The pace was very upbeat and it didn't take long for 4 riders including Mark Hoffenberg, Doug Knox, Ricky Shorts and one other Sho Air rider. The group got a small gap but it was closed after a couple of laps.
Mark's thinking was to keep attacking and catch everyone breathing hard from a chase and get a quick gap. Mark kicked it in again and again. The fourth time he and his teammate Dan Nicolette went and took Bruce Hartley of Pinnaclife with them. Monty Pettus almost caught on but got gapped on the power climb. The threesome maintained a short gap and 2 other riders tried to get across. Henry Schnepf of Sho Air was one of them and was escorted half the way there and then had to close the remainder of the gap by himself which he did. Yikes! 3 riders from one team in a 4 rider break. Henry was still a little gassed and pulled for a while to keep things moving and then dropped off and went back to the peleton. This was the only mistake that I saw Sho Air make the entire day that I could see if you could call that a mistake. A one, two, three finish would have been way awesome!
Velo Allegro had their full complement of riders and initially let things slide with the 3 person break which was a definite mistake but Ricky was tired from his first effort at a break and Al Shorts did what he could but after a bit it got mellow in the peleton. The pace was good but not enough to catch the breakers. The distance seemed to be about the same through the race as we could see the breakers at least half the time when we would turn a corner. As the race went on things got a little more desperate for VA. Short pulls were taken by all the team members and even Ricky lent a hand. It seemed like we were getting a little closer but when it got down to 5 laps to go it seemed quite apparent that we weren't catching Mark, Dan and Bruce.
It got down to 2 laps to go and up front the Sho Air guys decided to work Bruce Hartley over. They noticed his pulls were getting shorter and weaker and wondered whether he was saving for the finish. They challenged him on the power climb and were able to drop him. What bums but that is racing. Lol.
In the pack I got on Ricky Shorts thinking this was a good wheel. I had been following Mike Marotta around all day but lost his wheel and went to Ricky certainly thinking Velo Allegro would line up for his finish. Not!
Up front Mark and Dan came across the line together with Dan giving the win to Mark so he could build Socal Cup points against Mike Birditt and the rest of the 55+ field. Hoffenberg 1st and Nicolette 2nd. Bruce Hartley was cruelly left to fend for himself and fought like a junk yard dog. He barely hung on but did for a well deserved 3rd place finish.
Back in the pack it was chaotic for sure. Spy-Swami's Dale Luedtke was moving up. Monty Pettus had got himself in good position and I was sitting on Ricky who was content to sit in the middle of the pack. Nelson Alaan was coming up the left side of the pack where he likes to make a charge for home from just below the hill on the outside. After turn 3 it really got chaotic and riders were out of the saddle trying to get themselves set up for the final sprint for the finish line. Monty Pettus was 3rd wheel coming around the last corner and with his sprint right where he wanted to be. Monty jumped it and smoked everyone for the 4th person to finish and the 1st 60+ racer for the win. Monty was followed in by Nelson Alaan, Dale Luedtke, Mike Marotta(2nd in 60+), Ricky Shorts(he finally got going), Henry Schnepf, Don Denegal, H(3rd in 60+) and Al Shorts. I came in for the 4th spot in 60+(I felt 100% better than the day before when I had nothing at 100 meters to go. I had reserves at the end of the CBR race would have liked to have had a run at Mike and H. Monty..I don't think so. Lol. He is riding so well) and Rich Stahlberg rolled across for 5th.
The average speed for the breakers was 25.2 mph while the pack came in at 25 even. The first race was at 25.0 as well. Mark showed 273 watts for his effort in the race which is up there. 20 more than at Roger Millikan for him but he sat in there most of the race. All in all it was a good race with a good size field. Full results and up to date Socal Cup point totals are below. That's all for now folks! Train hard and race safe!
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CBR # 2 winners- Hoffenberg- 55+ and Pettus- 60+
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SoCal Cup Standings For 2012
SoCal Cup Standings For 2012
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