Is it the return of the summer slowdown?
There were more than a few familiar faces missing from the ride tonight. About 22 riders at the start, The pace was meandering for the first several minutes. Ben Bruce took the bull by the horns and had an early escape that lasted for a couple of kilometers. He would be eventually brought back, mostly from the efforts of TF. After that everybody was playing nice and taking pulls as the ride wound through the back roads of Cheshire.
A new guy, Joe from New Britain, wearing a Red Shift Racing kit, punched it at the front on Moss farms and spread things out. TF, Hans, Ben, Bruce, and Hunter P. Responded immediately. TF and Hunter P. Put a couple of big pulls in on the later parts of Moss farms leading to a gap of about 100 m going into the chicane.
Sensing blood in the water, the group stayed on the gas. Behind them, Rich Nadeau and Brian Suto humped it triple time to make the bridge up. That made for a group of seven up the road. In the pack, Dillon P was playing a bit of defense for his teammates, allowing the group to stay off 100-150 meters or so.
The break got the light on 322, the pack did not. That was all that was needed to seal the deal. The break worked well together, knowing they simply had to keep a responsible pace to stay away. There wasn't much of a sprint at the turnaround. Ben Bruce when thru with a tie to TF after an abbreivated sprint. New Guy Joe peeled off going back over 322, making it 6 up the road.
Behind, the chase was a mix of CCB, Rusty, Buxom Blue, and TK. It was already a smaller group to begin with, so chasing the pack allowed for more riders to get involved.
Up the road, Hunter P outkicked TF at the Orchard sprint. A little later on the games started in the break. Ben Bruce and TF got a gap. Brian S and Hunter P bridged up a bit later. Ben Bruce then attacked with 2k to go, setting up Hunter P, but in the upset of the year, it was actually Suto that went thru the line first. The main pack finished a minute and half later, with Dillon P taking the bunch sprint.
