It’s the final countdown!
Just a couple more weeks of these shenanigans left kids. Despite the 5:30 start time, it was good to see a decent sized group out for the ride tonight. Things got going slowly, but then the pace turned fast with no one attacking. That all changed when after turning onto North Brooksvale, a mystery rider with a heavy accent in a Pro-team Giant team kit rolled off the front like it was ain’t no thing. Alan B gave chase, and then Ben Bruce and Chris C. Team Giant rolled on and despite a pretty stiff chase, was holding a 20-40 meter gap as everyone barreled toward the corner for Mountain Rd. Of course, the newbie went straight and missed the corner. Despite some efforts to get his attention, he kept going, seemingly oblivious to the miscue. Bummer. He do doubt would have continued to keep everyone on their best behavior had he stayed with the bunch. Getting back to the action, some traffic held up most of the peleton, but Ben Bruce, Gibertoni and Big Red slipped thru the corner first and held a gap up the first climb. They stayed away for a few hundred meters more, then Hunter P and Alan countered hard. That blew up the pack for the remainder of the way down Mountain Road. There were a couple of chase groups with Big Red and Nuemotion being the first 2 to bridge up. The 4 in front worked well on the pavement they had left. The potential and horsepower were there, but the light was red at the intersection and everyone else caught back on.
Moss Farms was fast, but uneventful. A couple of gaps opened up but were covered quickly. Chris C led everyone up the rise to Marion, and that was enough to split a small group of 5 or 6 off the front, but the gap was small and it was covered very soon after. The pace stayed high into the industrial park, with Alan B taking a long pull on the front. Once everyone got thru the corner, it slowed a bit, and no one attacked off the front. Alan B was back up there in a couple moments, pushing the pace. He had Ben Bruce, Big Red, Mike McG, Chris C and a couple of others that were willing to work. A small gap opened up but as everyone closed in on the corner for Reinhard, it was back together.
The pack rolled up the rise there and then down all together. Little T and Hunter P were the only ones to jump at the sprint. Little T led it out initially and then Hunter came around midway up the long drag to the corner. Little T traded into the draft then both were in full flight. Little T edged Hunter P out with about 30 meters to go before the corner. Despite the healthy gap on the pack, it was all back together before turning onto Peck Lane.
Tall John rode off the front as everyone was pausing to collect themselves and he was off like a light. It took a little while for the chase to get going but the big guy was up the road, racking up as much as 120 meters or so on the field. The gap came down by the end of the rise up Peck Lane but John still had 10 seconds turning onto route 10.
Alan B once again hit the front hard on rise there by Cheshire Park (site of Cheshire CX 2015 – The 10 year anniversary!). Alan pulled the pack up at 27mph and the gap was coming down to Tall John quickly. At the light by Maple Ave (“MANHOLE!”) Tall john slipped thru a green light whereas the rest were held up by red. That was more than enough for him to take the Stop n Sprint in commanding fashion. Good to see Interlandi can still throw down!
He would end up getting caught thru the red lights of Cheshire, leading to gruppo compacto for the fast and dimly lit haul back into Hamden. For the final sprint, it was a close seated battle between Little T, Gibertoni, and Ben Bruce. Depending on where you are going to draw the line, it was Little T with the early lead, with a charging Ben B coming around Gibertoni directly in front of the light and intersection.
Just a couple more weeks of these shenanigans left kids. Despite the 5:30 start time, it was good to see a decent sized group out for the ride tonight. Things got going slowly, but then the pace turned fast with no one attacking. That all changed when after turning onto North Brooksvale, a mystery rider with a heavy accent in a Pro-team Giant team kit rolled off the front like it was ain’t no thing. Alan B gave chase, and then Ben Bruce and Chris C. Team Giant rolled on and despite a pretty stiff chase, was holding a 20-40 meter gap as everyone barreled toward the corner for Mountain Rd. Of course, the newbie went straight and missed the corner. Despite some efforts to get his attention, he kept going, seemingly oblivious to the miscue. Bummer. He do doubt would have continued to keep everyone on their best behavior had he stayed with the bunch. Getting back to the action, some traffic held up most of the peleton, but Ben Bruce, Gibertoni and Big Red slipped thru the corner first and held a gap up the first climb. They stayed away for a few hundred meters more, then Hunter P and Alan countered hard. That blew up the pack for the remainder of the way down Mountain Road. There were a couple of chase groups with Big Red and Nuemotion being the first 2 to bridge up. The 4 in front worked well on the pavement they had left. The potential and horsepower were there, but the light was red at the intersection and everyone else caught back on.
Moss Farms was fast, but uneventful. A couple of gaps opened up but were covered quickly. Chris C led everyone up the rise to Marion, and that was enough to split a small group of 5 or 6 off the front, but the gap was small and it was covered very soon after. The pace stayed high into the industrial park, with Alan B taking a long pull on the front. Once everyone got thru the corner, it slowed a bit, and no one attacked off the front. Alan B was back up there in a couple moments, pushing the pace. He had Ben Bruce, Big Red, Mike McG, Chris C and a couple of others that were willing to work. A small gap opened up but as everyone closed in on the corner for Reinhard, it was back together.
The pack rolled up the rise there and then down all together. Little T and Hunter P were the only ones to jump at the sprint. Little T led it out initially and then Hunter came around midway up the long drag to the corner. Little T traded into the draft then both were in full flight. Little T edged Hunter P out with about 30 meters to go before the corner. Despite the healthy gap on the pack, it was all back together before turning onto Peck Lane.
Tall John rode off the front as everyone was pausing to collect themselves and he was off like a light. It took a little while for the chase to get going but the big guy was up the road, racking up as much as 120 meters or so on the field. The gap came down by the end of the rise up Peck Lane but John still had 10 seconds turning onto route 10.
Alan B once again hit the front hard on rise there by Cheshire Park (site of Cheshire CX 2015 – The 10 year anniversary!). Alan pulled the pack up at 27mph and the gap was coming down to Tall John quickly. At the light by Maple Ave (“MANHOLE!”) Tall john slipped thru a green light whereas the rest were held up by red. That was more than enough for him to take the Stop n Sprint in commanding fashion. Good to see Interlandi can still throw down!
He would end up getting caught thru the red lights of Cheshire, leading to gruppo compacto for the fast and dimly lit haul back into Hamden. For the final sprint, it was a close seated battle between Little T, Gibertoni, and Ben Bruce. Depending on where you are going to draw the line, it was Little T with the early lead, with a charging Ben B coming around Gibertoni directly in front of the light and intersection.
