Two "healthy" riders almost snooker the bunch & the McG is back
Big group out tonight for the great weather. Right from the get-go it was game on as there were a couple of guys looking to take advantage of Aidan being out on the ride and up front setting good tempo. Guido, Chris C, Pescatori, Dillon P and Thomaas B among a couple of others. The ride stayed together, much to the chagrin of Guido, who had taken a gap for himself thru thru the crap road section.
There was a small split coming up to Mountain rd as Mike McG and Chris C were hitting it along with Pescatore. That turned into Hunter P jumping on the first ramps of Mountain Rd, taking along Chris C and the young guy on a older bike with glasses. Probably from New Haven. Probably one of those hipster types. He's been drilling it the last couple of weeks so until we get a copy of his birth certificate, he will be known as the Hipster. Anyway those 3 had a gap that lasted for a little while on Mountain Rd but no one was going to let it go so early on. Ciocci, Jacinto, Chris LaSalle, Guido and a couple of others were at the front of the chase effort. Aidan went back to the front after that but it was all together coming up to the light.
Ciocci, CXC Chris, Chris C, Todd H and exactly one half of the CCB toss-up kept the pace high on Moss Farms. It was good enough to make a split in the field as the group was about 750 meters from the corner. The scramble started as guys flew across the gap like their life depending on it. The front half slowed for the chicane enough so that it came back together buy when the leaders accelerated again out of the chicane and up to Marion it was single file for a couple hundred yards. Sensing a rare moment to do some damage, Chris C, The Hipster, Hunter P, Thomaas B and a couple of others hit the throttle after the corner. That was followed up by Neumotion, Aidan and Chris B. It was enough to split the field once again. There was little let up at the front, mostly in part to Aidan jetting off with one other ( Pescatore? ) as the ride went over the highway. Chris C and Todd H were bridging up and that was enough to get everyone going. When the light on 322 went green in time to carry most of the speed thru that sealed the doom for anyone not in the front group. Probably around 10-13 guys got left behind.
Once onto Mount Vernon, Chris B jumped up and away but that was brought back. The ride stayed together until the false flat, when Guido jumped on the gas taking along LaSalle, Rory D from Central Wheel, Nuemotion and one other (The Full Nalini?). There was some construction going on on the false flat ( hopefully the whole section will be re-paved once complete ). That kept the group focused on safety and not speed, letting the break get a gap. They would hold for a ways. Chris C didnt like the odds and jumped 750 meters before the corner for Welch, which started the process of getting it all back together. Before the field turned, Rory D jumped hard off the front and was allowed a gap on Welch.
As the ride barreled toward the turnaround, there were a few guys doing most of the pace making. Guido, The Hipster, Thomaas B, Chris B etc. Rory got brought back before the corner, just in time for Chris C to attack. He took NUemtion, Mike McG and Hunter P with him. It turned into Ciocci, Chris C, LaSalle and Mike McG off the front and going away toward the spring. Mike McG easily got that over Chris C.
The ride came back together on the backside. Heading downhill on West St, Dillon P and the Gibertoni snuck off the front. The tag-teamed the descent and probably half the field never even noticed. The Hipster, Bike Doctor Ben Bruce, and one other went after them but as they were hogging up the road, a Southington Police officer came up alongside and gave them a firm chastising. The peleton had already taken to single file on the far right, giving the 2 up the road further opportunity to extend their lead.
Once everyone got thru the double corner intersection, Guido hit the front and was away. He was soon to be chased by a small group led by CCB, The Nalini and Chris C. The rest of the field was slow to respond but eventually got going and Guido was just a few feet off the front as everyone slowed for the light. Everyone got a look at Dillon P and the Gibertoni, who were through the light and getting back up to speed.
Chris C started things off on Peck Ln, tired of the lolly-gagging. Some Cheshire Cyclers were quick to get up front and try to relax the pace a bit. The 2 up front were eventually caught at the top of Peck Ln.
Gruppo compacto and the speed stayed decent up to the lead in to the Stop n Shop Sprint. The headwind buffered any shenanigans up front and by the time Chris B got up there to make a go for it, he was a marked man. Mike McG was in a good spot to come off his wheel and was able to hold off Hunter P, who jumped from a little farther back.
The ride thru Cheshire was boring and slow due to hitting nearly red light. The ride finally got going again and despite the headwind, stayed crisp into the final kilos. The squeeze section by the river\swamp crossing late on route 10 made for some cussing and yelling as wasted riders were going backwards too fast. For the finale, Dillon P and Chris B both burned their last rocket section far too early to escape gravity, meanwhile, Guido had the front 5 or 6 guys lined up in his sights like al qaeda in a soft clay hut. He drilled it and was able to hold off Chris C, Nuemotion, The Full Nalini, Mike McG and maybe one other.
Up the hill went the usuals. LaSalle, Chris B, Mountain Man, Hutner P, C-dale Rick, The Gibertoni.
Good ride everyone... Maybe in the comments we can hear some excuses about the split in the field and how those guys plan to redeem themselves.
