Tuesday the 31st

Early Excitement and a Dissed Pack

There was a normal sized group out tonight for the ride. Even so, the peleton continues to roll past equal-sized and even greater groups returning south on the New Haven ride. As riders graduate from that speed, they will be moving up to the "big leagues" and the SGR.  

A couple new faces out on SGR today: Yalies Alex Popescu and Andrew Suzuki. Along with Mike McGinley for the second week in a row, and Peter Morgan, the ride was going to be a good one. 

Early on, it was Sean Maher pushing the pace. He surged off the front a couple of times, to be roped back in by Dan Smith. Going onto Mountain Road, Sean Maher and Turner French hit the first hill hard and were off the front by the top of the hill. Sensing an opportunity they hit it and were gaining. Most behind were settling in after the first uphill and were in no position to do anything about the gap. One that tried was Hacker. He jumped in pursuit and was making up ground but ultimately would come up a bit short. 

Behind Andrew "round tubes are more aero" Suzuki was threading his way thru the pack having been sitting at the back for a km or so. He rocketed off the front to close the gap and took Hunter P with him. Those two would go by Hacker and make their way up to the leaders just past the halfway mark of Mountain Rd. The impressively fast bridging (with a little help from the tail wind) was enough to get Suzuki the KOM on the segment. The four up front went to work together and they just got thru the light on Route 68/70 in semi-acceptable fashion. That was it for the night. The break worked the gap but were never in any real danger of being caught. There was not sprinting up front. Behind the pack would be pushed along by Dan Smith, Peter Morgan, Steve B, and a couple of others. The rest were content to keep it steady fast with predictable turns at the front. 

Tuesday the 24th

Fight Club Resumes at SGR

The ride returned to some decent weather and the group size was up again. Great to have Mike McGinley out again along with Jason Lupke. 

The real action started when the ride turned right into the industrial park. Steve B and Turner hit the gets and along with Hacker, tore off a gap that was holding through the corner onto West Johnson. Hunter P went to jump across the gap and Sean Maher grabbed onto that quick smart. That got enough of a rush-reaction from the dwindling pack that it stayed together. A few were be dropped and popped on the night though, unable to reconnect by the light on route 10. 

On the intial downhill of East johnson, a group of 7 established itself and kept the pressure.on enough to carry a gap through the corner on Cheshire St. Sean M, Little T, Turner French, Jason L, Hacker, Daniel Carbonella and Ben Bruce making it 3 Cheshire guys. That meant that a couple of strong remaining guys at the front of the pack were not chasing. The gap went out heading into the greenhouse climb. Steve B jumped late across the gap and was able to make the connection with a couple hundred meters left to the start of the climb. Shortly onto the climb Ben Bruce dropped and it was back to 7 up front. The group was rotating well and sharing the work load.

Going into the sprint, Sean Maher turned on the gas just past the light leading to the line, creating a gap with Hacker. Little T jumped around the rest to latch on but the surge was was a bit short, rolling in 3rd behind Hacker and Sean Maher, who ended up taking it (seated the entire time, like a freight train whose legs resembled pistons)

After that the group was splintered a bit but regrouped for the fast rip into Hamden. FF to the ending, where Steve B opened up a gap going down Tuttle, then Sean Maher pushed off the front with Hacker and Lupke. Little T eventually had to put in a big effort down the hill to catch on to the trio. A couple of haymakers later. Everyone is heading into the finale but Steve B was in the best position. He came off Little T's wheel to hit the sprint first but T was able to come around just at the last second, with Hacker rounding out the podium. 

 

Great ride everyone! 

Tuesday the 17th

 Back to Your Regularly Scheduled Winter

If last week was a summer tease, this week was a winter bitch. One of the coldest SGR in memory. Just 9 or 10 dudes out for this one. Hearts were warmed though by seeing the legendary Mike McGinley out on the ride, looking every bit the same as he has for 105 years now. 

Smaller group was slower to get going. Steve B attacked a few times in the fisrt half but was reeled in each time by Turner French and Hunter P. Those three would do most of the work. Turner French lit the after burners turning into the industrial park and with the tailwind, was able to separate with Steve B and Hunter P. They stayed clear all the way to the light on route 10. It was red there so it all came back together. 

The Greenhouse climb was started by Turner French and Chris C. Those tow rolled off the front and then Steve B jumped the gap at the top and was able to come around for his third straight. The reduced pack could not bring them back after the sprint and those 3 would close out the ride off the front, with Steve B doubling up again at the finale. 

Tuesday the 10th

Soft Opening Featuring Pothole Patrol

Welcome to the new school year everyone.
New faces, new craters, new challenges (physical, spiritual and meta).

70 degrees in early March was a treat. Big crowd out for this one. One highlight was having Yale Women's Team Rider and standout, Tatum Brown out there mixing it up like she's been riding the route for years. She impressed a-plenty in her SGR debut. 

On the Greenhouse climb, it was Steve B coming around an attacking Turner Frnech to take the points, with Sean Maher in third. 

For the finale, Steve B struck once again. Sean Maher took 2nd and Stefano P was able to nab third.  

Tuesday the 9th

 Long Loop No More

The medio loop was back tonight, with it's right turn onto Jude Lane. 

Sprint Points:

At the Greenhouse climb it was Sean M ahead of Chris C and then Dan Smith. 

 For the finale it was Steve B ahead of Stefano P and then Little T 

Tuesday the 2nd

 POINTS:
Steve B got the first one after a group went clear late on Mount Vernon.

Going into the Greenhouse Climb, Dan Smith attacked early and held on for it in front of Little T and then Noah Black in 3rd. 

For the finale it was:
Noah Black
Little T
and then Aaron Black rounding out the top 3. 

Tuesday the 26th

A group breaks clear and the ride gets all weird.... 

Turn around: 
Little T got it
Joe K took second
Sean Maher there for third 

Then heading toward the second time over 322, on the way back into Cheshire, a group of about 5 or 6 of the stronger guys went clear and got the light. From there, George Elias took off and was allowed to go clear. 
 
Greenhouse climb:
George in front
Hunter P next over the line with Turner French right there.

Dan Smith would then push on and catch Goerge and those two finished the ride our front. Little T would nab the field sprint front the rest.