Tuesday the 22nd

 

Week 2 does not disappoint

This year's SGR is off to a flying, tough start! Week 2 featured a few less riders out there, but there was more action upfront. This season is going to be fantastic.

1. The battle between CCR and CW is starting to get good. Everyone else in the peleton benefits from thinking a bit more about where they burn their matches.
2. The Tuesday Night Criterium Series at Renschler Field features a few Thursday night races this season, which means that more of those riders will be coming down to SGR on those weeks.
3. This also gives the SGR crew a chance to prove their worth as human beings at the crit up there.

Back to the action tonight, where Dillon P hit the front with Erin R and Brian Suto early on to drive up the pace. Ben Bruce was also up there a bit. Soon after that, the CW crew started attacking. Steve B, Dan Smith, and Turner French all took turns rolling off the front. Each time a CCR rider, or Kevin M or Chris C would bring it back. By the time the ride hit Mountain Rd , multiple attacks had come from CCR (Steffen H and Hunter P) along with attacks from CW's Brian Oliver. BrianO was making this SGR debut. He comes to us from Colorado Cat3-dom, which is most of the time good enough for CTCat1 status. He lives in West Hartford now, and he wasted no time getting involved upfront on SGR.

Rolling up to the light on 68/70, Dillon P had a good move to snag the light, but it was red. Onto Moss Farms where Suto put in another dig, then Steffen H. It all stayed together though as the ride cruised into the industrial park. Dan Smith was pushing the pace there but it stayed all together. Then BrianO took a strong flyer on West Johnson. Despite accelerations from Chris C, Suto, and Rosey, BrianO rolled clear. Hunter P attacked hard to bridge the gap just in time for the route 10 crossing, but that light was red as well.

Onto the other side of the light, heading up to the intersection for Cheshire St, Turner French bolted off the front and quickly got a small gap. Behind, the chase took a bit to get organized, but with BrianO sitting on the front, the gap went out. Kevin M and Ben Bruce upped the pace for a bit to chase, but that was short-lived. As everyone rolled up to the Greenhouse hill, it was clear that TF was not going to be caught. 

Fighting for sprint scraps, BrianO launched a big attack which Steffen H and Hunter P responded to. Hunter P rolled thru the spring next, with Steve B close behind. From there, there were a few more attempts at breaking clear. Nothing worked until BrianO jumped off the front on the climb on Boulder Rd. Hunter P jumped soon after, making it two off the front. Then Dan Smith rolled up and caught them on the climb up Tuttle. Those three were able to get to work on a gap, which nearly lasted to the end. It was all for naught as Turner French took the solo escape win. Dan thru the sprint next, then Hunter P. 

Great ride everyone!