Tuesday the 24th

 Back to the Regular Hyjinks

With Rentschler Field being done and dusted for the year one could expect that there would have been a huge number of riders out for tonight's ride. SGR did pick up a few (Wild Bill, Don Kimball, Aidan C, Kevin Mullaly and a couple of others)

Right from the start, the Cheshire crew was up front drilling it with a concerted effort. Wild Bill got involved, along with Chris C and Mullaly. That made for a very fast first 15 minutes, and more than usual got dropped because of it. After Hunter P pulled thru on South Brooksvale, A group of about 6 had a gap from the oppressive pace. A bit off traffic turning on Mountain Rd, plus hesitation up front gave the group a chance to come back together. 

Further down Mountain Rd, after big pulls from Gibertoni and Damien Roy, another group rolled clear (Chris C, Brian G, Cedric Baylor and 1 or two more), but that was brought back after a little while. The pace onto Moss Farms was solid, with Chris C, Steffen H, Mullaly, Wild Bill, and Hunter P hitting the front. More gaps to the peloton, but not enough up front to make it stick. The next move came after turning onto Marion, where Hunter P jumped off the front with Chris C, Ben B, and a couple of others. That was short-lived though, with Mullaly, Brian G, Mike Williams and others pulling it back.

The pace stayed high going over 322 and onto Mount Vernon. Steffen H rolled off the front with Mullaly. That was chased back primarily by Big Red. Later on, Hunter P rolled off again with Mullaly and Brian G. The chase was fast. Thomas B was also one that pushed off the front as the pack made its way to the turnaround. 

For the sprint there, a bit of traffic turning onto West St interrupted the hard riding for most. Once it got going again, Ben Bruce was the first to go for the sprint, but Little T was able to come around, with Mullaly in second place. Hunter P and Wild Bill tried to sneak away on the backside, but couldnt get by the traffic lights. 

The Henk and Max pushed the pace after the highway, but no gaps from it. Gibertoni got an earful rolling thru the empty intersection at Marion. In the dramatic moments that followed, Hunter P slipped off the front and rolled toward 322 with a gap. Brian Girard gave chase, and was in striking distance as the 322 and the red light came up. It turned green just in time for Hunter P to go under but the chase slowed down more for it. Gibertoni also timed it well, and joined Hunter P up front. Those two stayed clear until after the Hickory Hill Orchard sprint point, and Gibertoni rolled thru there to collect the points. Behind, Aidan C led a big charge up the hill to close down the gap in time for the last 20 min of the ride.

From there, no big moves off the front. Wild Bill tried a couple more times to create separation. Then, a group of 4-5 rolled off the front on the early slopes of Tuttle. That was brought back in plenty of time to set up for the sprint, which was taken by Little T, with Mullaly close behind.

 

Tuesday the 17th

The SGR Takes on the 'Rent! 

The CCAP goes out to make the final Tuesday race at Rentschler Field each year a bigger-than-normal deal. The Cheshire Cycle Racing crew got involved an donated the funding needed to get a results person there. That, combined with other fun details like "Wear a Retro Jersey" and an ice cream truck giving out ice cream to the racers, tonight's race featured record breaking attendance for a TNC. 

There are many in CT that would debate which ride is better, and for anyone living in the Southinton/Avon/West Hartford area, you know the struggle it is sometimes deciding what to do on a Tuesday. With that in mind, the last Rentschler Field crit has traditionally been the night that SGR riders are invited to come up to try to unseat the crit regulars at the top of the A and B races in a battle of "who is stronger."

Tonight, there were many SGR riders taking part, and it gave everyone a chance to ride together against a common enemy. In the B race, that enemy was the juniors from TTE of Fairfield County. The trio of Ben Stokes, David Thompson, and George Elias put on a clinic for the rest. Ben and David escaped the pack in the first 8 laps or so, and never looked back. For the SGR crew, Steffen Huber placed 5th, Damien Roy was in the top 10, as was Cedric Baylor. Those were the high points for the visiting team. Oh and the fact the Craig freakin Luekens was racing! Craig can be remembered for viciously tearing off not just the legs of the SGR ride but the entire Northeast racing scene numerous times in the early 2000's. We hope he keeps riding! 

In the A race, team SGR had Hunter P attacking a few times early on. Aaron and Noah Black, and Costa Rica John as well. Eventually, the trio of Chris Pendergrast, Geno Villafano, and Ben Gorodetsky, all TNC regulars, broke clear and would hang on for the win. Behind, a second breakaway group of 5 formed in the closing laps, with Joe K riding for team SGR in that group. Little T caught a couple of those riders at the lap, so he was the top SGR finisher on the night in 7th place. Joe K in 9th. 

Thanks to all for supporting the night. And a big thank you to Dillon P for announcing the race action. One rider had this to say, "I was listening to the A race with my son, who doesn't know much about bike racing, and hearing the announcer talk about what was going on in the race made it much more enjoyable for us both."

Tuesday August 10th

The 'Rent Crew Invades and Take Names

A late cancellation of today's Rentshcler Field Race gave Curly, Kieran H and Costa Rica John the chance to come down push watts with the SGR today.

And can we get a hellya for Candice Votava for also taking the chance to switch gears and come do the ride. She crushed it on the ride! 

For the sprints, it was Hunter P at the turnaround followed by Costa Rica John. 

At the orchard, Lucas Curly H rolled away with Hunter P behind. 

For the finale it was Dillon P edging out the group by inches after a late breakaway of the Rent crew, Hunter P, and Chris C came up a bit short.

Tuesday July 27th

 

 Ride recap!

Tuesday July 20th

 

 Ride recap!

Tuesday July 13th

 

 Ride recap!

Tuesday July 6th

 

 Ride recap!

Tuesday June 29th

 

 Ride recap!

Tuesday the 22nd

 

 Ride recap!

Tuesday June 15th

 Ride recap!

Tuesday June 8th

 Ride recap!

Tuesday June 1

 Ride recap!

Tuesday the 25th

Everyone is excited to be back together as one big happy family! 

With there being no race up in East Hartford, it was back to 2011-like numbers at SGR tonight!

It was great to see a couple of the Essex crew back out again. Guess they weren't completely scared off after last week. Out of the gate,Big Red and Aaron B were ready to go.  Once off route 10 the ride was a bit slow to get going though. Soon enough, the pace got going behind Wild Bill, Dillon P, Steve Grey, a rider from Class Cycles, along with others.

Aaron B pushed the pace up the early parts of the Mountain Rd, and no one went with him. He had a bit of a gap when Wild Bill jumped to bridge, and then Hunter P which created a dangerous trio off the front, and the rest of the pack got to chasing hard. The break had 200 meters at one point, but it started to come back as everyone drew close to the light on route 68/70. The light was red, and it was grouppo compacto.

Onto Moss Farms, where the Body Over Bikes guys pushed it thru the corner, along with Hacker, Chris C, The Sernyak, Hunter P, Steve B, and Aaron B. The reaction was quick from the pack, and it came back together soon after. Hacker jumped and attacked once more, taking along Kevin M and Rich N. Traffic at the 4-way intersection brought it all back together. Going up to Marion, Little T jumped along with Dillon P, but that fell apart a little way up the road as Bill Clark, Scala, Aaron B, Costa Rica John, and a couple of others chased hard.  

Then Aaron B led off the front with Kevin M and Hutner P. That stretched it out as the ride came up to the light on 322. The light was green but there was a trailer that wasn't turning right away, which caused a problem when everyone shot thru on the far right. The leaders in the pack were in a tough spot. Slamming on the brakes when the whole pack saw green could have caused a pileup. So slipping thru as best as possible was probably the only option.

Four riders got thru first and then kept the hammer down. Steve B, Rich N, Turner French and Steve Grey. That group got to work heading onto Mount Vernon.

Back in the pack, CW and BoB took care of early pace-setting, but it was a bit short of a full-on chase. Wild Bill then hit the front, then Joe K, then Costa Rica John and Aaron B. That got the pace going. More tricky riding around a UPS truck by Mount Southington slowed everyone down, giving the break a few more minutes.

Up front, Steve B was setting a big pace, and as the break hit the false flat section on Mount Vernon, Turner French and Rich N were dropping off the pace. The two up front stayed on it though. Wild Bill put in another dig as the pack rolled thru the false flat section. Xander Beck and Hacker also pushed the pace, which brought the gap back to the two leaders. Before the catch was made, there were some shenanigans from Aaron B, Erin Rand, Hunter P, and Costa Rica John, but the bullets were spent by the time the two leaders came back for good.

As everyone reshuffled, there was a big surge from Class Cycles, Costa Rica John, Wild Bill, and Hunter P. That let Noah Black slip off the front going the corner for Welch, and the pack let him roll. Aaron B tried to encourage a bit of a chase as everyone got close to the uphill corner, but overall it was mellow. Then Little T jumped for at the base of the hill, Steve Grey jumped, Costa Rica John, Aaron B, Kevin M, HUnter P, Hacker, and Steve B all jumped as well. Noah was caught, Kevin M kept chasing, and LIttle T led everyone out into the wind. Aaron B jumped first for the sprint, but Costa Rica John was able to stay with him and then scoot around for the sprint with Hunter P rolling in behind.

The front group of sprinters kept on it and then caught a green light. They got held up at the next light though, which gave the pack a chance to catch back. Chris C gave someone an ear full, but most didnt know what he was talking about, which often would qualify as senility. Then Chris was trash-talking Mike Hons, mistaking him as Hunter P, which is also a sign of you-know-what.

Everyone stayed together heading back into Cheshire. Bill Clark, the Sernyak, and one other tried to sneak off the front but no dice. The pace stayed calm all the way to the base of the greenhouse climb. Costa Rica John was the first to jump on the climb. Then the pace slowed down a bit as no one was eager to test themselves into the wind. Evan B rolled off the front briefly, then Mike Williams and Steve B punched it. That got the pace going up the rest of the climb but the light was red at the top. Costa Rica John, Aaron B, Hons and Hunter P jumped hard on green, then Little T started the sprint from a ways back. Aaron B then jumped with Hunter P behind. Aaron sat up after passing T, giving Hunter P the sprint.

There were the usual attacks on Coleman and Boulder but nothing stuck. Billy Clark, hit the front, then Wild Bill, then Costa Rica John, then Hunter P with Scala on the early uphill of Tuttle. It was all together, though by the downhill on Tuttle. For the finale, Little T took the sprint in front of the usual crew.

Tuesday the 18th

 Most of the fast guys were notably absent (the first rentscheler field race was tonight)

It was great to see a bunch of riders from the famous Friday Morning Throwdown in Chester. 

The ride? It was more steady than usual, and Little T took all three sprints.

Tuesday the 11th

Chris C is back, let's raise his blood pressure! 

The ride was spicy early on thanks to Wild Bill and Hunter P who attacked hard in the first couple miles and kept the gap going until North Brooksville. After they got caught the ride turned on to Mountain Rd and it stayed together all the way to the end. Hunter P and Aaron B tried to sneak off the front, but the two were held up at the red light. Soon after the ride turned down to Moss Farms hacker took off the front along with Steve B and a couple of others. They had a little bit of a gap heading into the chicane, but when Kieran age and Aaron B made a move to jump across up the hill to Marion, the rest of the field followed. Heading up to the light on route 322 Chris B jumped off the front and had a good gap. Everyone was content to let him take a chance at the light, but it was red as well. Onto Mount Vernon, where Rich N, Aaron B, Steve B, Nic V, and one or two others had a small gap early on. It only lasted a short time. The group started to break up and the chase was soon upon them.

To pace stayed high all the way down Mount Vernon and onto Welch Rd. The Body over bike guys, Big Red, and Wild Bill kept the pace high there. Little T jumped off the front early, before the corner, and had a small gap heading through the corner. Steve B, Hunter P, Hacker, Aaron B, and a couple of others were right there chasing. Little T was caught soon after, and then Chris C made his way through the pack and led it out. Aaron B jumped hard and was able to get the sprint uncontested. On the backside it all came together and of course there was a couple of red lights that slowed everybody down. Hunter P jumped hard with Hacker once all the lights were past but there were enough guys to respond, plus a light up the road was red. Onto Atwater street where Scala surged off the front, taking Hunter P with him. Those two created a gap that Thule Tom, Kevin Mullally, and Steve B fought hard to chase back. That group of five held the gap all the way to the light going back over 322, and they came within moments of getting it green. Hunter P and Scala held up at the last moment, with the pack bearing down on them. It was one of the few moments of responsible riding all night long.

Scala was back at it on West Johnson avenue, where he tried to attack before the light on Route 10. He drew out a couple others and those had a slim chance at the light but alas it was red. The ride ripped across East Johnson avenue and then on to Cheshire Street. Gibertoni and Steve B tried to have a go off the front but the pack goes downhill much too fast.

Onto the greenhouse climb where the usual characters jumped off the front early on. Kieran H was the first to go, and he took along Little T, Aaron B, Scala, Steve B, and a couple of others. Behind them, the response came from The Sernyak, the rest of the Body Over Bike guys, Turner French, Alex D, Rosey, and Chris C. Guys played musical chairs between the groups all the way up the hill. Some moved up, some moved back. It came down to Hacker, Aaron B, Keiran H, Little T nursing a short gap that was falling to the chase as they all came up to the light. The light was red is red gets but the group charged through all the same. Behind the chase was led by Turner French, Hunter P, Steve Grey, and a couple of other guys. Everyone went through the light as a pickup truck was heading up through the intersection.

Blatant foul on this one so no one in the front group gets credit or points for the sprint. Be careful everyone! It's one thing to go through a light that just turned red with stopped traffic aside. It's a totally different matter to lead the whole pack through a light that's been red for 5 seconds.

To add insult to injury, the next light up the road at route 68 was red, and Gibertoni and Hunter P rolled that one. In their defense, the driver slowed for the corner and waved them through.

The rest of the ride was quick but there was little activity or attacking off the front. There was a small break on something something street. Steve B, Hunter Thule Tom, and a couple of others pushed off the front but it didn't go very far. Charging down the hill to final km, Aaron B rolled off the front but that also didn't get anywhere. It all came down to the usual 10 guys jostling around for position in the final kilometer and in the end it was Little T sprinting around Aaron B for the final line.

A messy but fun ride. Next week the sleeping giant gets a bit of respite as the CCAPs Tuesday night training series starts up in East Hartford. No doubt many SGR riders will be getting their actual race on up there at Renschler Field.

Tuesday the 4th

What's that quiet sound?

Great ride tonight everyone! 

Steve B gets the big balls award. He got the light on 322 and stuck it out off the front for the whole way of Mount Vernon. The pack behind had to wait at the light forever. Steve managed to stay out front long enough to get the sprint point after Welch. A-A-Ron and Hunter got the rest of the point. 

Keiran almost nabbbed victory at the second sprint, but A-A-Ron tracked him down. 

A-A-Ron managed to get the final sprint as well. 

We hope Chris C gets better quickly!

Tuesday the 27th

Another week of At the start of the ride tonight, guys had a few ants in the pants. The Body Over Bike guys especially. They were quick to dart out of the parking lot but, at the same time, respectful of route 10 etiquette.

Once the ride turned off route 10 it got going a bit more but there were no big attacks. Aaron B led everyone at first with a respectable pace. The body over bikes guys stayed up there, as did Jason Williams, Gibertoni, and Scott Rosy Rosenthal. Jordan was spotted up front quite a bit, setting tempo with his teammate Rusty.  All in all, the pace was calm all the way up to the light on 68/70.

Wild Bill took a dig off the front early on Mountain RD. The pack reeled him in a kilo or two later though. Getting onto Moss Farms, Wild Bill was quick to hit the afterburners along with Gibertoni, Hunter P and Thule Tom. It wasn't enough to get a gap though. Aaron B then attacked, and the timing looked good, but everyone was coming around. When Jordan Lynn jumped as well, everyone got going. Steve B was the last to get across the gap but traffic at the 4-way intersection meant a reset. Everyone was together going up the hill to Marion.

Next to attack was Hunter P, who took a flyer on the way to the light. It was red so nothing doing there. Onto Mount Vernon where Aaron B, Rich Nadeau and Wild Bill got things going initially. The pack stayed together all the way down Mount Vernon. A good bit of posturing, no real attacking. Once the ride turned onto Welch for the turnaround though, Wild Bill took off. Then Steve B jumped up to bridge the gap. Behind, The Sernyak, Rosy, Thule Tom, Joe K, and Chris C were que'd up at the front, ready to pounce on the hill. Then Jordan L struck off the front, and the rest gave chase. Wild Bll was caught on the hill before the corner, and Steve nursed a slim lead onto West St. Joe K moved off the front, and had teammates right behind "blocking." That made it two up the road, as Steve B was able to gain on the rest in the headwind.

With 300 meters to go, Joe K rolled away from a fading Steve B, who was not sure of where the sprint point was. Joe was all-in when Kieran H, Aaron B, and Hunter P jumped for the sprint. Aaron B had a good jump and was able to hold it in front of Hunter P, with Joe K's effort netting him 3rd across the line.

Down the backside, Kieran and Hunter P stayed on it, as did Aaron B. The headwind + everyone behind realizing if they had an inch, they'd take a mile, kept the leaders close, and it was all together going over 84. After that, the pace stated steady. It was good to see Big Red back at the front pushing the pace. Heading onto Atwater, a small group led by Wild Bill was pushing off the front no one was willing to let that go. Hunter P attacked going under the overpass and had a gap heading to the light. At the last second, he got the green light but the chase, which was 75 meters behind, slipped thru a yellow/red turning light, which brought the pack together for the ride back into Cheshire.

Heading up to the light on route 10, Jeff Scala, Joe K, Hunter P, and Evan B made a break for it, but the light was red (sad trombone). Grouppo Compacto for the now weekly slow-down approach into the Greenhouse climb, which also gave everyone a chance to rinse the sand out of their you-know-wheres. Give the Body Over Bike guys credit for at least keeping the pace respectable. The usual suspects were near the front for the start of the climb. One could almost feel the sigh of relief when young Kieran took off off the front. This gave the chance for a few new guys to set the pace up the climb (A rider from Class Cycles, Rich Nadeau, Scala, and Wild Bill) as well as Chris C. They set a good enough pace that Kieran was on his way back as everyone went under the light. Steve B and Turner French once again got involved in the chase. Aaron B jumped first again and had the legs to stay in front of Hunter P as the two passed Kieran with 50 meters to go to the sprint. Once again, the three stayed on the gas, but everyone got the green light at the corner.

The ride back into Hamden was uneventful. Thule Tom and Hunter P attacked once, then the Sernyak. Then Aaron B, Esteban S, Rich N, Scala, and Rosy. Then Hunter P rolled off the front and hit the downhill with a 100-meter gap. That was eaten up as the road flattened out, setting up a the positioning showdown between Body Over Bike, CW, the Sernyak, Wild Bill, and a couple of other riders thrown in for good measure (Vitaly, Esteban, Thule Tom, Alex D). Aaron B jumped with Rich N on his wheel. Hunter P came around Dillon P late, but neither could get around Aaron, who made it three for three on the night.

Tuesday the 20th

The Long Loop! 

More new faces out on the ride today and more guys were willing to dip their toes into the deep end. It helped that a big wind from the south pushed all the strong guys into submission on the way home. The ride was going the full long loop today, and it was evident that a few riders were worries about how the legs would fair with the increased effort. 

Early prognosticators were once again Wild Bill, Nic V, and the Body Over Bike team. Hacker, Nuemotion, and Little T were up there as well for good measure in the first 10 miles. There was another woman out to do the ride with Patsy and Lisa Lochner, which is tip top in our book. 

The pace was solid, with no real attacks in early parts. Steve B took a flyer on Mountain Rd but didn't get too far. Aaron B lifted the pace in a couple of spots. Hacker was looking like he was ready to rumble as well. Hunter P took a flyer into the light on 68/70 along with Wild Bill, but it was red. 

Moss Farms was more of the same. Little T took a dig going up to Marion and he had a crew willing to do the same. That led to a small breakaway before getting to the industrial park. Little T, Chris C, Hunter P, Aaron B, Gibertoni, The rider on the orange C-Dale, and Mike Williams from BOB. That group kept it ticking along but by the I84 bridge it was all back together again. 

There were no attacks on Mount Vernon worth telling mom about. The pace was steady but no one was willing to overextend themselves with the new turnaround looming. It also didn't help that Nic V got a flat on Mount Vernon. With Curly, Johnny Meyerle, and Costa Rica John all stopping to assist, the rest of the pack immediately had no over-anxious youngsters to worry about. 

Into Welch, Steve B attacked again, taking along Hacker this time. Those two build a decent gap but as the corner came up, it fell apart. Hacker stayed on it but as the headwind smacked the front of the group,  everyone went into slo-mo mode. Vitaly Kantorovich, and Chris C pulled up front as the group came past Hacker. Then Aaron B got to the front and punched it with several hundred meters to go. He rolled off in front Kantorovich without much response and was able to stick it all the way to the sprint. Behind, Steve B battled it out with Nuemotion for the table scrapes. 

On the backside, Kantorovich and Hunter P tried to sneak off into the headwind near the 84 interchange, but a red light brought it all back together. From there, back into Cheshire, it was steady-eddy with nothing too exciting up front. Gibertoni got a good gap heading down Atwater, but the headwind was too tough to overcome. 

Fast forward to the greenhouse climb, the headwind made for a super-slow approach to the climb. The early part of the climb was Cat5 like. Vitaly was setting the pace. Scala as well. Rosy made an appearance near the top. Going thru the light, Turner French moved past Chris C to take a dig, but Aaron B and Hunter P were queuing up behind. Aaron launched it hard with 300 meters to go was able to stay in front of Hunter at the line by a wheel or two. After that, the rest of the pack hit a reset for the ride back into Hamden. 

The rider on the Orange C-Dale (Name???) had an attack up Coleman. Then Alex D' Souza attacked up Boulder. Then Steve B attacked going into the downhill on Tuttle, which finally riled his CW teammates up, as well as everyone else who wanted to be up front for the final kilometer. 

It was a fast run into the end, with Kevin Mullaly and Erin Rand challenging Sernyak and the usual sprinters for position. The final was all Little T and Aaron B though, and Little T was able to edge it out to get the points.

Good ride everyone. Next week will be another good one!

Tuesday the 13th

 

More Mellow More Smiles

Another large group for today's ride. A couple of big guns were not in attendance so the ride overall was a bit calmer. However, it was great to see some new (and new old) faces out on the ride. 

Steve May, Rich Nadeau, Steve Grey-Gray?, Jeff Scala, joined a few new faces from Fairfield County. Also good to see was Hacker, who, like the creators of South Park, has been trying to get canceled for like 3 years now. Either that or he's been waiting responsibly to get his vaccine to get back to Tuesday night action. 

He was one of the guys attacking Mountain Rd. Steve B and Dan Smith from CW were up there as well. Aaron B was rolling off the front before that, but he took a corner a bit early and had to chase back on. "Early and eager" is his MO these days (Congratulations Aaron and Goldie!)

An attack by Steve B briefly saw the light of day halfway down Mountain Rd, but it was all together getting up to the light on route 68\70. Hacker was back up at the front, along with Aaron B on Moss Farms, but it stayed together all the way toward the light on route 322. Nic V, Hunter P, Steve May, Scala, and Bill Thompson had a bit of a dig after the corner for Marion, but that was short-lived. 

There were no attacks on Mount Vernon. Chris C, like the good and always positive leader he is, raced everyone to be at the front for the corner of Prospect. The pace headed eastward was steady if a bit unimpressive. Scala, Nadeau, Costa Rica John, and Chris C dictated the pace. Next week should be the first week of the full long loop, but you'll have to wait for confirmation on Tuesday for that. 

Onto West St and then Atwater. Hunter P surged going under the highway but there were plenty of guys to go with him. Then to West Johnson, where there was more "I don't know where we're going" shenanigans from the Body Over Bike boys. The light crossing route 10 was red, so it wasn't too big a deal.

The next attack came from Evan B, heading up to the corner of East Johnson / Cheshire St. He rode off a gap that lasted close to the base of the greenhouse climb. Then, Scala, Nic V, and Dan Smith rode charged hard off the front. That trio was allowed a small run off the front. Then Aaron B jumped hard. Just Costa Rica John and Hunter P went with him. Behind Black, they got a gap that no one was going to quickly bring back. Aaron attacked again and gapped the others, leaving John to set the pace. The chase was coming up, and Chris C was able to latch on. Black was fading by the top of the climb and the light. This set up Hunter P for an easy sprint, followed by Costa Rica John and a Body over Bike rider (?). 

It was altogether heading back into Hamden. Along the way, Nic V attacked, Steve B had another go, Body Over Bike as well, but nothing stuck until Aaron B attacked hard up the Coleman climb. Initially it was just Costa Rica John, Chris C, and Nic V that responded, but soon the entire pack was back on the gas. Up the climb on Tuttle with Aaron B holding his 50-meter gap, Chris C had a coronary on the front when no one would come through, nearly crashing Nic V and a couple of others. That slowed the chase a bit. 

Once it got going again, Aaron was diving down the Tuttle descent. Steve B and Erin Rand from CW hit the front hard and brought back some of the gap. Then Mike Williams and S.May rolled thru. On the short risers near the 1K to go mark it was all together. A group of 5 or 6 (CW, Sernyak, Hunter P, Scala, Nic V,) jostled near the front for position heading to the sprint. That was enough to spring a short gap to the rest of the pack. Behind Dillon P timed his finish line run to perfection, coming thru the pack, across the gap, and even thru the front pack without ever leaving his saddle. He cruised across the line at 700w with a few bike lengths to spare. 

Tuesday the 6th

The 2021 Season Plot Thickens Up

We had what is sure to be one of the biggest crowds out for the ride tonight. Everyone was amped up to ride hard, despite a complete flipping of the wind from last week. Instead of a killer tailwind from the south pushing the group up route 10, tonight we had a big headwind. This gave a couple of opportunistic riders the chance to pedal hard tempo off the front while others dealt with the headwind. Wild Bill, young Rowyn Burgess, Dillon P, Billy Thompson, and Noah B. Then, Hunter P joined them shortly after the corner off route 10. 

The only only rider from from the main pack that got on his giddy up across the gap was Dan Smith. That resulted in a group of seven riders off the front. The junior was the first to drop back. The group went to work creating a gap while the chase slowly got going behind. Up front Dan Smith and Hunter P were doing the majority of the work, with Billy T, Wild Bill, and the rest chipping in where they could. Dillon P took the back door exit soon after. Back in the chase Curly Huesman got to the front and started driving it along with Nic V and Chris C.

 

The breakaway slowly pulled away, but then on Mountain Rd the leaders broke up on the rollers. That allowed the chase to gain a little bit of ground as the front group took some time to recollect. The breakaway put in one last effort before the light on route 68\70, but that was red which meant it was all back together for the time it took for the light to turn red. Once across the light and on to Moss Farms, things reset and others took the front to set the pace. As the pack near the route 322 crossover, there were a couple of surges off the front, but no one put in a big attack to create a gap.

 

Once through the light on 322, the next big attack came from P who jumped on the hill before Mount Vernon. Once again Wild Bill responded as well, but this time the pack was more attentive and didn't let them get any more than 50 to 60 meters up the road before responding hard. Curly was there, LIttle T, Chris C, Nic V, and a few others locked it down pretty quick. Even still there were gaps opening up as everyone was still dealing with the headwind. The ride turned right onto Prospect St this week and the unfamiliar road kept the attacks to a minimum. Instead Steve B, Evan B and Erin R from the CW team, as well as Curly and Hunter p were up there pushing the pace.

The pack stayed together for while, and got a rare green light going back over 322. The next attack came on West Johnson avenue as Hunter P jumped hard in an effort to get the light on route 10. No dice there, as the light was red and everyone waited for a moment or two. On East Johnson Ave, there were a couple that surged up the first hill but it was all together heading down past the greenhouses and up to the intersection for Cheshire st.

On the short kicker up to the corner there, Curly and Hunter P punched it and had a short small gap going through the corner. Wild Bill once again jumped into the group, making three up the road. The peloton watched, and the three off the front made the rest pay for it.

The trio worked together for a short time, but then Wild Bill dropped off. So two leaders made their way onto the long hill up to the sprint. Then Curly accelerated, leaving Hunter P dropped to get collected by the chase, which was being led by Nic V. Curly was able to not only hold off the chase, but added a bit to his advantage by the time the sprint point came up. From there he was able to get into the back roads of Hamden with a commanding lead and would not be caught. That's the way the ride ended up - Curly getting all the points for himself off the front. With  his impressive haul tonight, he's already ahead of his 2020 point total.

Solid ride all round! Let's keep the aggro level up. 

 

Tuesday the 30th

Pressure Upfront Goes Up a Notch

    The weather was better this week, which means that even more riders were out for the ride today.  There were three women out today on the ride as well, which was cool to see. Kudos to Patsy, Lochner, and Lisa Stanley for coming out to roll with the SGR. They had a bit of a challenge this week, as there was a huge tailwind. The whole pack roared up route 10, which can be a bit intimidating for new riders. Even so, they reported afterward that they had a great time, and they are looking forward to coming back. They will be riding a modified loop that will keep from going all the way north but will reconnect with the rest of the ride on the return back into Hamden. Hopefully, more women will come out as well!
Once the ride was into Cheshire, the pace picked up a bit. There was an incident where a new rider upfront was unsure of which way to go at Mount Sanford, which led to crossing wheels with Sernyack. Mike was relatively ok, and the ride got rolling after a 1 min pause. Then, down the road, Wild Bill S was on the front as the corner for Mountain Road came up. He went straight and didn't realize it for a handful of seconds. He tried to give chase after turning around but came up a bit short by the end of Mountain Rd.
    Upfront, the pack made it through the light without stopping. From there, Aaron B, Hunter P, and Chris C punched it off the front, and only a handful of riders that were attentive at the front made it into the group. Dan Smith, Little T, Nic V, and one or two others were clutching the back of the attack. The move def had the legs, and it took a hard chase from the back to draw it close by the chicane. Shortly after turning onto Marion, the rotation in the break broke down as a couple of riders skipped pulls. That let the peleton chase back, so it was all together going into the Industrial Park.
    Dan Smith accelerated from the front, and he was allowed to roll off the front. Kieran H and Hunter P kept the pace high after the corner onto West Johnson, and soon the ride was all back together again.
After crossing route 10, it stayed together. As the ride made its way to the Greenhouse Climb, Dillon P rolled off the front, and everyone was content to him go as well. As everyone hit the base of the "climb," Dillon P was only a few meters off the front.
     Up the hill, the usual suspects hit the front. Keiran H took a bit of a dig, but the strong headwind kept the eager beavers sitting tight in the draft. Then Aaron B rolled to the front and pulled everyone up the climb. Hunter P took a late pull, then Chris C brought everyone up to the sprint. Little T jumped first, but Curly Huesman was sitting in the entire time waiting. He was able to come around Little T by the end, and he kept on the gas as well.
     Curly rolled off alone towards the light and was able to get thru unimpeded. That was the springboard he needed to make a run at finishing the ride solo. Behind, the chase got going, organized and fast. There were a couple of new riders up front chipping in. When the ride hit the climb up Tuttle, Curly was about 20 seconds ahead. Chris C and Hunter P pulled hard up to the intersection, then a couple of the CW guys hit the front and closed down the gap even more.
     Curly was caught with about 1 mile to go. From there, the sprinters came up and drove the pace. Little T jumped first but had Aaron B, Hunter P, Dan Smith, The Sernyak, and Curly right there. T held on for the sprint, with it being super tight between the rest of the "top 5."

Besides the incidents, it was a good ride. The next few weeks, before racing starts at Rentschler Field starts, should be great!

Tuesday the 23rd, 2021

SGR officially got a proper start tonight. Great weather meant a big crew was out—25 or 30 riders at the start. The pace was reasonable, rolling into the back roads of Cheshire.

Aaron B was one of the first ones to strike out off the front. He accelerated a few times early on and had Dan Smith and Nic V from the CCAP along for company. Also jabbing off the front was William "Wild Bill" Strebel. He would go on the attack a bunch of times during the ride. On Mount Sanford road, Lucas "Curly" Huseman jumped off the front and that set off alarm bells behind. Eventually, a trio of curly, Dan Smith, and Aaron B got off the front on mountain road. For a moment it looked like the three would be able to stay away, or at least build a gap heading into the traffic light, but there was enough horsepower behind to bring it back.

Chris C put in a big dig, and the Hongster covered a big gap to bring it all together. Onto Moss Farms where again Lucas was active off the front. A couple of half-hearted attempts to break away going into the chicane but everyone was together heading up to Marion. Curly hit the front and drove a split in the front of the pack leading to a small gap of about five or six riders..

Before the industrial park, Kieran Haug jumped off the front, followed by Little T. Into the industrial park It was all together though. Some strong pulls from Nick V, Curly, and the CW guys kept the pace high but no attacks. Turning on to West Johnson, Hongster looked like he was ready to go, along with Chris C and Curly. Keiran also was up there taking advantage of the uphill, but nothing stuck.

Over Route 10 Wild Bill S attacked up the first rise and had a gap going down to the greenhouses. He was brought back by corner though. Chris C and Keiran were back at the front then, but no one delivered the big push to spring a gap. Everyone was waiting for the hill it seemed.

Up the hill on Route 70/Meriden road and Hongster and Keiran were the first to go at it. Curly held them in check, with Hunter P and Dan Smith behind. A group of 5 went clear but then sat up a bit. Curly took that as his cue and he attacked hard. Only Hunter P went with him. Those two got a gap but the light was red and slowed the front of the ride down, giving everyone a chance to catch up.

It wasn't a complete stop, though, and the front riders were through and ripping to the sprint after a brief pause. Chris C put in the last leadout, then Hunter P jumped around and got the sprint ahead of Keiran H and Dan Smith.

The reduced group, now just 10 or so, stayed together for the most part back into Hamden. Kieran attacked a couple of times. Each time, Hongster and Lucas were left to defend, all to the benefit of the rest of the pack. He did manage a good gap in a last ditch flyer, but was brought back with a little less than 1k to go. That set the stage for a monstrous sprint between Aaron B, Little T, and Curly. That was the finishing order on the night.