PA Junior race report
Posted by
Christopher on Monday, August 04, 2008 to
Juniors
MVC Junior’s
Road Trip
Tour de FCCC
Nicole Reinhart Memorial
July 19th & 20th, 2008
By Coach Bill Humpreys
Dave Reed suggested this be our official road trip focus for our first season way back in February, sitting around a Dunkin Donuts with Wayne Kirk and myself.
So here it was the week of July 14th and it was time to get the 5 riders and 4-parent entourage organized and on the road.
We were headed into the heartland of east coast cycling Mecca and the learning curve for riders, and parents was still in full effect.
This was to be a two day 3 stage event to benefit the Nicole Reinhart Memorial Fund. For those not familiar with Nicole, she was a world-class rider who grew up racing on the Trexlertown Velodrome winning a total of 2 Senior Elite Track National Championships, 9 Junior National Championships, with 2 National records to her credit. On September 17th 2000 Nicole was primed to take home $250,000 bonus prize money for securing First Place in the BMC Software Grand Prix Race Series, when a fatal crash on the last lap of Tour of Arlington, Ma. Criterium took her life.
Our 4-car caravan departed Old Lyme on Friday morning and arrived at the time trial and road racecourse in time to take a few laps of what was a fun course with some climbs and fast descents. The heat was noticeable and the boys were trying to stay on top of hydrating. This was going to be the first time trial for a few of the boys, but it had a nice down grade start that would allow them to get rolling quickly before the hills came.
We then had them ride about 10 miles to a bike shop where Ben’s bike was getting some last minute work on the shifters at Cycle Drome Bike Shop right across from the Velodrome.
That evening I was able to get us all free tickets to the Friday night races and into the infield where the boys were met by none other than Marty Northstien former Olympic Gold Medalist in the Sprints who welcomed them all to the track. They were looking around the track from the infield watching the early elimination rounds with jaws open while I introduced them to several coaches and riders who had raced around the world and garnered many medals in their careers including, Gibby “The Bear” Hatton who won the Junior World Championships Sprint in 1975 and who had gone on to win several Masters World Championships and was there coaching.
We left the infield and found our seats in the bleachers and the boys got a great lesson on a live chalk board of how to attack, close a gap, and time your sprint. It was an enlightening evening to say the least.
Saturday morning Time Trial: 4.6 miles of the same loop as the road racecourse.
Very hot, as Tisha Kirk, Dave Reed, Carol Merkt and I set up the tents and coolers for the day.
When the results finally came out, Nate Etchells was 3rd Ben Wolf was 5th and we felt like we could be competitive in the road race.
The heat was become a real factor as they cooled off in the shade for a few hours drinking and snacking before the road stage.
I have misplaced all my notes and GC sheets but there was a very strong experienced team from Lehigh Valley holding down the first two spots and several of the top 10 positions.
During the time we were waiting for the TT results to be posted I began to introduce several scenario’s that were unique to stage racing, but all this went out the window once results were posted.
What Nate in his first year of racing had to realize and focus on was just a bit overwhelming and the heat was not helping any of them prepare for what was about to happen.
What did become clear however was that Evan, David and Ian was now playing support roles for Ben and Nate. They were prepared to sacrifice themselves to make some early moves and to cover early moves, which to me was one of the key elements in making this trip.
I had to make it clear to the officials and to the race director in her first year at the position that I did not come all the way down here from Connecticut with 5 riders and parents to have my 15&16 year olds mixed in with 17 &18 year olds for the road stage. Regardless of how they planned to keep the results separate, it would influence how the race was ridden and we wanted no part of it.
They heard me and started the groups about 3 minute apart, but the heat of the day was going to take its toll no matter.
One other thing that the officials should have changed was the no feeding rule. Had they allowed us to do hand ups after the second lap, I am quite certain my boys would have done much better.
Standing on the top of the second climb it was a pleasure to see all 5 of the MVC kids holding their own for the first 3 laps, but Ben was shaking his head the third time around letting me know he was not going to be there much longer.
On the fourth lap it was like a bomb went off in the 20-man peleton, they were spread over a ½ mile and struggling because of the heat. Ian and David had made efforts off the front early on and were paying for it before the group shattered but now, Ben, and Evan were off the back and struggling, while Nate had lost contact also. At this point I rode back to the start finish area and loaded up with water bottles submerged in the cooler ice water. I was flashing back to my days in South American stage races where you protected your riders no matter what the rules. I was going to ice the boys down on the next lap regardless but as I stood there on the hill only Nate came by and was he happy to see me with cold water. I noticed the race marshals getting in their cars and leaving, that’s when I knew the officials must have called off the last lap.
Back at the start finish, the tent area looked like a war zone. Ben was still cooling off in the ambulance and others were getting in line. It took awhile for the boys to recover and it would take all night for the officials to figure out the GC.
Sunday morning’s 20 lap criterium at Rodale Park, across the street from the Velodrome was supposed to start at 9:30am but a panicked call from Ian back to our hotel said things had changed and it was a 8:30am start. Ben, Evan, and David were able to get over to the course in time to warm up and the final stage began at about 8:45am.
The field of 20 stayed together for most of the race with single forays off the front that never got more than a few seconds. There were some premes but nothing ever split the race up even when Ian was involved in a crash that was not his fault. His bike brake levers were destroyed to the point that he could not take advantage of the free lap rule and he had to watch the remaining laps.
So on the final stage the boys were able to sit in and compete with some really good riders, many of which race on the track, and had lots of speed and snap in their legs.
Ben took a serious flyer off the front with two laps to go and had Evan near the front, but it was to no avail. Evan was best placed in the final group sprint at 5th place and was still moving up when he ran out of room.
Nate Etchells was our best-placed rider in 9th place on GC and received a medal for his third place in the time trial. I am sure they can comment on this a little further regarding what an experience this was for them.
For me it was mission accomplished. They all finished or in Ian’s case would have finished, and can file this weekend away in the memory banks of those young legs and minds for future reference in the coming years.
It is now early August and the team has come down to a core group of five riders who are actively training and racing on weekends. Nate, Ben, Evan, David and Ian continue to travel to races and rack up training miles consistently each week.
The support system of parents, sponsors, and Mystic Velo Club continues to make sure this program is a success in its first year.
Bill Humphreys
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