Crap! Crash casts a shadow on an otherwise exciting ride.
There was a big group out tonight to watch the main event... Chris “the Terror of the Tri's” Mahoney in one corner looking to knock boots with Ben “Hard Life” George.
Sure enough, the front row was the spot to be to watch this one as the 2 took right off outta the parking lot.... Even too soon some would say and once onto Route10 there was a group of 6 ( Tri Guy Scott with Knee highs, also riding like he had an axe to grind, Eric M, Mahoney, BenGe, French Casey, and the Seven Rider ) riding off with little regard to any no fire zone. Hunter P jumped across just before the group turned off route 10 but ended up being an anchor in order to reset the ride and give the peloton a chance to regroup. Despite Eric M, MaHoney and BenGe drilling it thru the early streets,it came back together as everyone turned onto Mount Sanford Rd. Round one goes to BenGe. Once it all came back together Larry M, looking to get some good cyclocross training in, attacked hard, taking Hunter P with him. Those two had a gap for the way to North Brooksvale. Joe K was riding hard out of the pack and caught the 2 and continued on for a little bit. He motivated a few guys to get it in gear, Peter P ( on his TT rig ) Todd H, Steve Gray, Jacinto, etc... Joe K rode for a few hundred meters by himself before getting corralled. Peter P then strung it out while down in his aero bars.
It was a hard opening few miles to the ride this week . Turning onto Mountain rd, Steve Grey, Todd H, Hunter P and a new rider in a French Jersey hit the front, with most of the guys who had been front still there. Hunter P was on the front when a huge bang\pop could be heard from the back. Mike McG barked out the stop command and it was game paused. Unfortunately there was a touch of wheels mid pack. Details are sketchy, but Robyn went down hardest. Also hitting the deck was French Casey. Robyn was slow to get up, as she banged her knee and head. Everyone was concerned but with traffic now squeezing thru half a lane and 50 bike riders doing little more than making the popular side street more colorful, it was decided to ride on. Rondo was on his way, Mike McG and Peter P stayed behind, and there were no doubt others who assisted and helped on scene. Hopefully we can get an update on how Robyn is doing very soon. No need to point fingers at who is at fault, but there was some strangely sheepish looks on a few faces.
It didnt take long for things to get back to pressure cooker level 9. Eric M, Mahoney and Chris C making sure of that, riding off the front on the next incline. Again, Hunter P, jumped the gap to make it 4 up the road. That lasted for kilo or 2 but then it was gruppo compacto for the rest of Mountain Rd except for a surge by Larry M, looking to jump the light.
Once onto Moss Farms, a couple of new faces moved up to the front, Little T ( great to see him back on the bike and pushing the tempo ) Hacker, Ciocci, and LaFlamme. It was Team Zanes leading everyone into the Chicane, with Little T drilling it on the uphill and thru the corner with Larry M, Hunter P and Hacker right there. It was enough to spring the group of 4 off the front and for a little bit, it looked like this one had the right legs. But the rest werent too far behind. Chris C, Mahoney, Ciocci etc. bringing the gap back. Round 2 – Mahoney...
It was nice and quick in thru the industrial park thanks to Little T, Steve Grey and Chris C. On the inclines on East Johnson Ave, Rob from Bikers Edge, being a TWC rookie and thusly unaware of the intense nature of the next sections of road, took off, forming up a little group right off the front with Steve Grey and Chris C. That would keep the speed nice and crisp for the rest of the way and the turn onto Rienhard where it was Eric M and Todd H up front. Lot's of guys jostling about for position the road turned up again for the sprint. Steve Grey jumped first, from the front, with Hacker in his wake. Also jumping late was Larry M, who took up Hunter P and Jacinto. It was a true drag race, with lots of bodies at speed up there to follow thru the usually decisive opening 200 meters. Hacker looked to be in a good spot, then Jacinto, but all were trumped by Joe K, who dashed up the left side at the right moment and powered thru everyone, hitting the corner first with Jacinto and Hunter P close behind. Well done....
I'm sure all will hear soon enough which one of our main event 2 non-sprinter combatants had the upper hand on this one. No one was up to attacking the pack on the downhill after that horse race, so it was all toggethre moving onto Peck Lane and up to Schoolhouse. Everyone motored right thru the uphill section on Peck ln, thanks to Eric M, Joe K, Thompson, and of course.... Mahoney and BenGe. MaHoney looked to be in a spot of bother at the top.... Round 3, BenGe. From there Hunter P, Todd H, Crazt Chris, Steve Grey and Thompson took over at the front.
The speed shot up as everyone turned attention to the Stop n Shop sprint, Julio L, Koski, Todd H and Little T up front. Lurking close by were Hacker, Chris C and Mahoney..... Round 4 to Mahoney? Koski was burying himself, with Hacker on his wheel. When he was done pulling Hacker chose to jump, being left with a whole hell of a long 400 meters to the sprint point. Chris C jumped after him, having to close a solid gap and with Hunter P with him. Hacker couldnt sprint the whole way, burning out halfway up the hill. Hunter P had a long drag sprint as well but was able to come up and over with plenty of time to get to the light first. Julio L rounded out the podium.
Riding back into Hamden was an interesting affair, as a dude on an electric recumbant, who had been shadowing the whole ride, decided to give the guys up front a little motorpacing. Once all the red lights were dispatched, it was game on, with Eric M taking the initiative to stay stuck on his wheel. The speed hovered around 33 mph the whole way back as lots of guys were getting popped.... In 2's and 3's they would drop as soon as a gap opened up, no way to close it going that fast. Credit Eric M for staying right on him as the low rider couldnt have been an ideal draft. Behind him, Ciocci, Hacker, LaFlamme, Peter P, Hunter P, Little T, BenGe and a couple of others were the direct beneficiaries of the high speed train. Round Five to BenGe? When Eric M would finally give up the ghost, it was a mad dash to reconnect with the battery powered thing. Peter P and Little T made it, and with Peter P in the aero bars and perhaps pushing a 55t chain ring, was able to stay in front of Little T for the Finale.
