Ohio G.P. Series/Almost Paris - Roubaix

The plan was to get a 1-2 today with Rob winning and both of us destroying the field. Rob made the first move after only a few miles, and stayed away solo for about 4 miles. Rob was obviously very strong but holding back for later. After he was caught, Rob and I kicked in the afterburners on one of the dirt road sections, but didn’t shake too many people because it was still early in the race. Soon after, Jordan attacked with one other guy and got a good gap. This was a perfect early move, because the three guys that we figured would be the biggest threat were forced to work to bring Jordan back. It took them a while to bring him back, and when it was clear that they were going to be back soon, Rob told me to attack as soon as the junction was made in order to force those three guys to work more. I did and took the only GoMart rider in the field with me. We worked together very well and were soon out of site of the main pack.
After a while off the front, I started hearing talk on the radio, but for the life of me I couldn’t figure out what was being said. It turned out that Rob had attacked the main field, and was telling me to sit up and wait for him. I radioed for him to repeat what he was saying, but I still just could not make it out. I guess since both of us were out in the wind and going fast, there was too much wind noise for effective communication over the radio. Also, in the quick glances back in between pulls I never saw him either. Unfortunately Rob was not able bridge up to us, and returned to the field.
Once the race was shortened to just two laps, I realized that this break had a good chance of staying away. Half way through the last lap the GoMart guy started to show signs of tiring. I probably could have dropped him on the deep gravel section, but I waited for him because it was still a long way to the finish. I waited until we were 2 miles from the finish, let him take a longer pull up a small roller, and then attacked hard over the crest. He couldn’t follow and I won by about 30 seconds. I spun for a minute and then I came back to the finish line to see Rob toast a wheel sucker for 3rd. Going into the race I was expecting it to just be Rob and me, so it was great to have more help. Joe, Jordan and Chris Bean did a great job of controlling the race early.

Well the story goes like this:

Friday morning I go out to scout the course: After recieving the course map from Tim Tyler(race promoter). Made notes of the hard sections and let the team know the diffculty of the race.

Saturday morning at the race: Tim has again changed the course so all my work Friday morning was wasted. We are notified at the line that the course is 16 miles and we are doing 80 kilometer (48 miles) race. So I pack 4 bottles for a hard long race.

Race starts: 25 in the field with 5 of them Savage Hill. I"m the leader for the day and everybody is looking towards dinner if I WIN!!

0-8 km: I lose two bottles already and know I"m down to two for the next 72 kilometers. Pack is compatto.

8-13 km: Attacked in first dirt section and soloed off the front. Caught just after Gravel section.

14 km: Jon and I punch it on the 4th section of dirt and string it out. Groupo compatto.

15-25 km: Jordan attacks and forms breakaway. (MVC - winner of Malabar farms, blue/yellow guy unknown team and Guiness guy do majority of work to bring back Jordan) Savage hill sits tight and Jon is next to go for the early break when Jordan is caught.

25 km: Jon attacks and takes a Go-Mart with him. Jon has a 1 min lead. Peloton begins a mild chase.

25-35 km: Jon off the front Peloton drove by the MVC and blue/yellow guy. End of the first lap. I'm thinking Jon has another two laps to go and I'll bridge up to him latter in the race. We'll just as we are going through for the beginning of the second lap. Tim again changes his mind and shortens the race to ONE LAP TO GO!!! This shortens the race by 1 hour or 35 km.

35-39 km: Peloton is being stupid and there is no way we are going to catch Jon sitting in the Peloton.

40-41 km: I attack solo into the first dirt section and get a gap. Up and over the hill. There are two chasers (MVC and Blu/Yell) and the Peloton is 6 riders behind them at about 20 seconds.

42-47 km: The two chasers catch me and I sit on them. Jon and Go-mart 1 min ahead of us and the Peloton is 20-40 seconds behind us and the gap is closing. I'm telling Jon in my radio to sit on and wait for us. Probably told him 4x but I wasn't getting a answer from him.

48-55 km: I attack the two chasers in the Gravel section and solo away from them. Jon is now 45 seconds - 1 min ahead of me and I have two chasers at 20-30 seconds behind me and the Peloton is 45 seconds behind them. I'm now screaming at Jon into my radio to sit up and wait for me. But, still I get no answer.

55-58 km: The two chasers chase me down and I began to sit on them again.

58-60 km: I attack downtown Croton and drop the MVC guy. Just outside of Croton the blu/yell guy has now become my shadow. I try a couple of things to shake him loose. But, he is on me like "white on rice". Every time I attacked the MVC guy would get dropped and then everytime I would slow down to try to make the blu/yell guy come around me the MVC guy would come back into the group. The MVC guy got dropped 3x in the space of 2 km.

61-66 km: I decided to let the MVC guy roll of the front of us and see if the blu/yell guy would chase him down. I gave the MVC guy like 20 seconds and this "leech" wouldn't get off my wheel. So I chased the MVC guy down solo while dragging this "tag along" with me.

66-68 km: Caught the MVC guy with no trouble. Sat on him till about 100 meters to go. Hit the 270 degree turn in my 12 and the blu/yell guy turns to me and says "is that it". I said you just messed up and I outsprinted him to the line by half a wheel.

Jon did a very good job in being a decoy and a Solo victory is excellent for him. I just wish he could have heard me on the radio. The team did well and Joe you can block all day.