Tuesday the 11th

The Stache Costs Him 5w, You Stare and Lose 8w 

The crowd was out tonight! Let's roll. Right from the get-go, Turner French was going. He hung out at the front for a while. No one was going to let him go very far though. Steve B then took a big dig off the front on Mountain Rd and held a solid gap all the way to the light. 

On the other side, Brian O pushed off the front. The rest of CW was there to keep the pace high. Former National Champion Cristian Velasquez pushed in pursuit and kept the rest of the pack close. CV would do a lot of mending the flock tonight. 

Little T hit the front going up to Marion, and that kept everyone motoring along. Hunter P had a dig off the front heading towards the light on 322, but it was red, leading to everyone being together for the start of Mount Vernon. Mike Hons and Turner F pushed off the front and stayed off the front for a couple minutes. The ride turned on to Prospect St, where Ben Bruce and Dan Smith hit the front. The tailwind was for real though, and no one was getting away. Turner and Steve B surged once onto Atwater, and that kept the pace high all the way back to the light. 

On the other side of the light, Steve B and Dan Smith attacked off the front, but traffic at the four-way intersection interrupted their action. All together over route 10. 

SGR rookie Evan Woodford took advantage of the downhill on East Johnson and hammered it off the front, getting the strava KOM in the process. It was all back together on Meriden Road, despite Ben Bruce, Sean Maher, and Tom K hitting the front hard. At the base of the Greenhouse Climb, Brian O jumped off the front and Turner F patrolled the rest. Big Red came to the front and brought the pace up, followed by a dig from Turner as the gap to Brian O was erased. The pace slowed a bit ahead of the sprint, which gave Little T a chance to jump on everyone and clear a gap quickly. Behind him, Hunter P was next over, followed by Sean Maher. 

Into the back roads, Dan Smith pushed the pace on the front along with Ben Bruce, but that didn't last too long. Sean Maher was next, and he kept a gap starting a kilo from the Boulder Rd climb and then up it. Fast forward to the descent on Tuttle, where Turner F and Brian O juiced it once more, but not enough to have a chance in the final stretch. Turner had one last dig off the front, but Little T covered that with his sprint up over the final rise. Hunter P once again behind, and then Ben Bruce coming over the line next. 

Great ride everyone! Next week the triumphant return of the long loop!

Tuesday the 4th

 

Week 3.... Gliklekh Dinstik!

It was another great night as the weather was great. Onto the Prospect St Loop!

Kudos to Mike Hons for struttin his stuff tonight. Notable attacks include on Marion when he got off the front with Steve B and Little T. The pack had to dig deep to bring them back by the crossing of 322. 

Steve B attacked up the Greenhouse climb first, but Sean Maher-big-blue slowly reeled him. Little T gets the spring point there. Steve B gets second on the night. Turd? 

After the traffic light the pack had a group slowdown for Turner French as his cell phone flew out of his loose Specialized team clothing pockets. The remainder of the ride was just a high tempo as errrrryone was pitching in. T jumped early and took the final sprint with a hefty gap. Not sure second or third. 

 Oh hey it was great seeing Yahor Buben back out!

Tuesday the 28th

Who got da points:

Steve B at the turnaround
Turner French - 2nd  
Little T - 3rd

Little T for the finish
Aaron B - 2nd
Jacob H - 3rd

Tuesday the 21st

The ride is back!

Cheshire Cycle hit the gas coming out of the parking lot and got a gap, but it was altogether by the turn-off of route ten. Things stayed pretty social, and even the stop signs were happily obeyed. Don't worry, in a couple of weeks, everyone will have finished growing a pair, and the ride can get back to its normal self.

Mountain Road where things heated up a bit. Dillon P and Steffen H, fresh off a successful off-season Zwift campaign, were up front pushing the pace. The dark pink jerseys from the magenta express were up there as well.

Onto Moss Farms where Little T led it off very quickly. He was immediately attacked by Steve B and a couple of other CW riders. Sean M, fresh off slapping around the newbs at Frozen Four was pushing the pace as well. The chance for a real split in the peleton was there but it all came together at the stop sign by the chicane as cars were passing through.

Little T had a strong dig up heading up Jarvis and he maintained that gap as the pack went into the industrial park. Steve B was next to jump but held up a bit to be sure for the correct corner to take. He was caught right at the right turn up W Johnson. The pace started high there, but then slowed a bit on the other side of route 10. A few guys were attacking here and there but nothing the pack couldn't handle. The most significant move came from Turner French, who struck out on his own. There wasn't much of a reaction from the group as there were lots of hard efforts stinging the legs prior to the dreaded Greenhouse climb. The pack closed in a bit and then Little T jumped from a good ways out for the sign. Steve B jumped with him. T was clipping at Turner's heels, but he held him off by a few feet, with Steve B coming in at third.

Fast forward to the end; the run-in was fast and steady. Dillon P was the first to jump for the final sprint, which dragged Noah B out and Little T right behind him. Little T crested the bump first and held off the rest. Noah B was second. If anyone had eyes on who rolled in at 3rd, leave it in the comments.

Great ride everyone!!!

Tuesday the 27th

 Just when you thought it was done, it Ain't!

The ride moved to 5:30 PM for the night. Unfortunately a couple of guys showed up at 6 PM and were left wondering what could have been. Call or txt Chris C and let him know your feeling on the subject. His phone number is 860- (no just kidding we would never do that)

The short loop is proving to be shorter but not easier. Tons of attacks and chasing guys down tonight. Nobody wants to miss out and everyone is looking to capitalize on the efforts of others in hopes to counter attack while they're gasping for air. Little T attacked on the second half of the Cheshire St hill climb in hopes to surprise the usual suspects. He was quickly joined by Dan S and Steve B. Dan jumped just past the light. Steve B put in a dig to catch, then faked em out with an in-the saddle sprint which prompted Dan S to go again. Little T responded, and jumped on Dan's wheel and was able to hold off Steve B.

 

That was the most exciting part of an exciting night! Heading back into Hamden, there were more small attacks but nothing stuck. Dan S tried to get away to no avail and T took the final sprint as SGR  commingled with the New Haven Bike Club in the run in to the finale making things a little bit interesting. 

Next week?

Tuesday the 13th

 The grand finale! (or is it???)

 

It all comes down to one more week of SGR. Oh sure, they'll be guys out at 5:30 next week but it will no doubt be a watered down, hold-onto-What-MTV-used-to-be type of ride.

The ride got going slowly as it has over the last couple of weeks. The first decent surge came from the Black brothers early on Mountain Road. They stretched it out a bit and softened up the legs. Dillon P and Joe K kept the pace going after that, but there were no attacks heading up to the light. The Brother Black were back at it on Moss farms with an initial acceleration that popped a couple guys. Then little T took off with an attack and went through the chicane alone. He held on to the gap all the way on to Marion but was collected by the chase shortly after that. Going into the industrial park. Dan Smith surged before the corner for West Johnson which got everybody at attention and going hard. Joe K. Chris C. Little T. Rusty, we're all up there. Hunter P. Attacked hard going up to the light on route 10 but it was red bringing everybody back together.

 

Dan Smith had another surge off the front before the ride got to the greenhouse climb. Behind him it was Joe K and Big Red chasing up the hill. Then Chris C took over but it was a bit too late and Dan was able to hang on to the sprint point. Behind, Little T went unchallenged for a second place and Noah Black came through and rounded out the podium. Dan would pull back and slow it down in the back roads between Cheshire and Hamden leading to a nice and mannerly ride back into Hamden for the finish. 

 

Smitty wasn't done yet and he attacked going into the final couple of kilometers. He held a gap on the downhill of Tuttle and toward the finish line but he was caught by a flying Little T and the Black Bros. Noah rolled in second followed by Aaron. Great ride everyone!

See you all at Cheshire Cross on October 29th!

Tuesday the 6th

 We're Going to have to Paint Lines on the Road!

The rides are dwindling down to the last couple. The group out tonight was about 17 riders strong. Got started slowly but then Noah Black was there to push the pace in the early back roads of Cheshire. The biggest noteworthy event tonight was Dillon and Hunter P escaping off the front by sliding through the light at route 68 and Mountain Road. 45 seconds earlier Dillon P had surged hard off the front with Hunter on his wheel. The pack was content to let them go but then regretted the decision after seeing the traffic light situation. Those two kept going in the break and meanwhile behind the peloton avoided having to wait for a full light cycle before getting going again. 

The chase was on in earnest and by the end of the industrial park, turning onto West Johnson, it was all coming back together. The ride stayed together from there. Going up the greenhouse climb, the pace was slower than normal. it was uneventful with no attacks. Hunter P led the group through the light At the top of the hill and then jumped early for the Sprint. He was able to hold off little T by inches. Going back into Hamden, Dan Smith put down a couple of attacks but going into the finale it was all together. Little T got payback and was able to take the Sprint by a country mile. Hunter P and Noah Black rolled in afterward.

Great ride everyone! See you at the New Haven Grand Prix Friday night! Look for Dan Dudzik in the dark corner at College and High Street, taking blinds on Ben Wolfe in the Pro race between cat calls to the Yale students walking by.