The Full Cast Back on Set
L'attacco in fuga dal fronte รจ la ciliegina sulla torta!
(in honor of Stefano P getting into the break)
Weather was great for the ride, so just about everyone showed up. After two weeks of crap weather, it felt like the group had been let out of a cage. Once things got rolling, the pace picked up quickly. One of the first to head off the front was Dillon P, along with Henk. Those two got a small gap as the ride moved through the early sections (Mount Sanford Road, South Brooksvale, and so on)
Also up front at this time, and then later on as well, was the resurgent Humble Paul, containing his redemption arc.
A few riders pushed off the front early, but nothing really stuck. Turner French was doing his usual front-end patrolling, setting a solid pace along with Christian Stahl the triathlete, and a few others. Sean Hurley and Tom K were also in the mix.
There was a little acceleration turning onto North Brooksvale, led by Turner, with a few trying to slip away, but that didn’t amount to much. A bit of traffic turning onto Mountain Road meant there was a moment to punch it, but no one committed with anything that resembled a full attack, so it stayed together.
There was some action later on Mountain Road. Turner, Dan, and Hunter were together, forcing open a gap. Tom Krol tried to bridge to the leaders and got yelled at by Chris C for doing it wrong. The red light at Route 68 brought it all back together anyway.
Things chilled for a bit through Moss Farms and into Marion. But once on Marion, Little T, Turner, Hunter P, and one othergave it a dig. There wasn’t much separation, just enough to push the pace past the Industrial Park and make things uncomfortable.
Approaching the light before 322, Dan Smith, Hunter P, and Turner were back at it, looking for daylight, but again nothing held. The group was getting strung out, but the light turned green at just the right time, so everyone got across and it regrouped.
After the light, it looked like Henk and Sean H were ready to hit the jets, but that never materialized. It stayed steady down Mount Vernon. At the turnaround on Welch, Dan Smith and Christian Stahl slipped away and were given free reign off the front. As the group crept toward the corner, Little T punched it from the base of the hill, came around both of them, and held it. Dan made it an honest sprint and came across second. Hunter P took third from the chasing group.
Over the I-84 interchange, Turner and Stefano P rolled off with a smooth acceleration and with Stefano's Cheshire teammates watching, were not chased. They then caught a green light. They snagged another on the way toward Atwater, and that was the last anyone saw of them. Even though the group got a green at 322, the two were already gone and out of sight.
Heading into the Greenhouse climb, Sean Hurley opened it up early. Chris C followed, then Hunter P led the group up the main section. Hunter launched the sprint from far out, with Little T on his wheel. Little T came around to take third on the climb.
Little T also took third in the finishing sprint behind the two breakaway riders.
