Plainville Spring Seires #1

The team was looking forward to getting the racing year started off right! The course in Plainville was run a bit differently than years past, but it still offered up some great racing action.

Here is a recap of the Category3/4 action from Stephen Gebertoni!

Peter K and I rode up to Plainville yesterday for the first race of the season.  As clouds rolled through the wind from the Northwest really started to bite.  The installation of "tri-inspired" number system this year was pretty difficult with freezing fingers.  Once I got that squared away I rolled over to the start but the course was closed to finalize the prior Miss N Out race.  I was cooling down quick but was able to get in a lap and survey the course before the 30-40 racer group got started.  A quick overview of the course…the start line is about 100 meters before where they used to park their hut/shed thing.  Immediately after the start there is a manhole that has dipped into the pavement.  Just after that and as you approach corner 1 there is a long tire-eating rut that you have to navigate wisely, being sure to stay away from the snowbank that was creeping into the road on the inside.  Coming out of corner 1 there is a another heave bump on the outside of the middle line that  you have to look out for.  As you bend around the new backside, there is a pothole that was patched with fresh asphalt and there are remnants of the tar that was still on the road.  That backside corner is harmless and wide with a lot of riders using the inside to pick up spots as you lead in to the last and hardest corner.  The finish is a little weird as the road shifts to the left and then back to the right, more than you notice if racing in the clockwise direction.

As far as the race went, I was feeling good but after not riding outdoors or in a tight group I was more timid than normal.  For the first 10-15 laps I sat in watching every break be pulled back by the two or three bigger teams.  Feeling good I decided I would have a go after the Prime.  I was sitting a few wheels back and hit the last corner pretty hard but only strung out the group for a lap.  Not enough to get a gap or break up the group but maybe it helped us shed a few guys.  After that I settled back in to the front 1/3 of the pack knowing I did not want to get stuck behind the group in to that last corner.  There were quite a few snap, crackle, and pops happening in the background on the last few laps so I was extra cautious but wanted a good finish.  Made it through that final corner a little farther back than I wanted but made up a few spots in the sprint to get 8^th.  Overall felt good and happy to get that first race done and dusted!

Thanks Peter for coming along and Zack for some CX style heckling!