The United Nations Version of the SGR.
A solid group showed up despite the iffy forecasts... There were a bunch of new(ish) faces in the mix, including Dave Hildebrandt, Steven Savino the 23rd, Ciaran Mangan and a new riders from New Haven. Even Hacker was out!
The early part of the ride was smooth n standard stuff until Mount Sanford, where Hildebrandt and Young Savino pushed the pace. Cairan was right there as well. The group was dodging potholes like a Bosnian minefield, but things regrouped after a few moments.
Not long after, Turner French threw down on North Brooksvale, opening up a 50-meter gap. Cairan M and Dan Smith kept it close as the ride turned onto Mountain Rd. Turner sat up a bit and by the time they hit the first rise, it was all back together. After that, things split again. Turner and Hildebrandt took off, with a group forming behind, but there was never too much a threat for a break. Then Steffen H had a dig on Mountain Rd. Then Steve B.
It was the Medium Loop for today, so the pack crossed 322 for the first time this year. Turner French rolled off a gap after that, to which
Hildebrandt and Hunter P responded with a dig on the uphill before Mount Vernon. Hunter P and Hacker kept it up after that but that didn't last long. It was all together for a brief bit, until Steve B attacked hard. He hung out there for a bit but was slidding back to the pack as the ride turned onto Prospect for the medium loop. The pace stayed high on Prospect with a few guys rotating with the tailwind.
Things got a bit spicy turning back onto Atwater, as Steve B, Hunter P, Hacker, and a couple of others were using the corners to maximise gaps. The light by the highway was green, which encouraged the hard riding. The pack stretched out. A couple of guys got popped, but it came back together with the aid of the tailwind. Hunter P had a dig off the front going up the riser under the highway and held a gap for a bit, but was brought back in good enough time for the light back over 322.
The pace picked up a bit heading to Route 10, but no one attacked. On the other side of Route 10, the new guys seemed to be pushing into the downhill, then up to Meriden Rd, and then onto Route 70, unaware of how the ride flows through that section.
So the pace stayed high into the Greenhouse climb, which encouraged Turner French to keep it going up the climb. Steady hard all the way up as others were The Good The Bad and The Ugly.
For the sprint, Hunter P jumped a bit early and got it, Little T was there to go with him. Steve B as well, who was able to come around T for second place. Steve B again hit it after going thru the intersection for route 70/68. Hunter P and Cairan Mangan went as well. A bit pf panic ensued behind them. It was not enough to get anything more than a momentary gap. For the rest of the ride back into Hamden, the pace stayed high with a couple of attacks/surges here and there.
The finale got interesting with Young Savino drilling it up front with Chris C and Steve B. The front paused a bit right after the fast turn through Mansion, and Steffen H took the opportunity to attack. Chris C went after him a second or two later, but would end up in no-man's land, soon to be passed by the sprinters. Hunter P sat on the front, allowing his teammate just enough of time to build up a gap. Turner French took over the last 30 seconds of the chase, taking Hunter P, Little T, and Steve B right there, ready to pounce. Steve B went for it it next and got close to Huber but not close enough. Steffen H took the finale, Steve B, then Little T and Hunter P next through.
