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Gran Prix of Gloucester |
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Written by Don Seib
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Monday, 05 October 2009 |
Great Brewers Gran Prix of Gloucester
NACT, Verge NECCS, UCI Cat 2
Gloucester, MA
October 3rd/4th, 2009
 Saturday, headed to the race solo and drove in harder and harder rain. Along the coast it was coming down sideways with 15-25mph gusts. Stopped by and chatted with the rest of the Bikeman crew and then decided to go hang in my truck and listen to tunes till about an hour before the start. Went out dressed in "deadliest catch" gear for a warm-up. Did a few miles on the road and then waited for the 10AM races to finish before hitting the course for a preview. Turned out to be a very different track than the last two years, seemed a lot longer, one super steep/muddy run-up and a bunch-o off camber turns. Pretty much the whole course was a mud-fest by the start
I didn't have any series points and they stage you by points, and then registration order after that. First 3 rows were points from the prior weekend at Catamount and then I slotted in after them. We had 80 people in our class which is big for a 45+ field. Decided I was going to kill it on the start and headed up the hill which is a good enough distance to separate the group before hitting the grass. Went into that section in the top ten and passed a few more and hung with the leaders for some of the first lap. Course was pure mayhem and mountain bike skills played huge. Basically rode solo for 45 minutes, didn't gain on the leaders but no one caught me either. Ended up 7th and beat a bunch of people who usually put minutes into me. After finishing way down in the pack last year this was a big step up. Also my first series points ever which as it turns out was a fine thing for Day 2.
 Day 2, headed with the family and set up camp. Very different course, went through the sand pit, more off camber stuff, things in a different direction, and a new section on the other side of the road coming off the pavement that was pretty sketchy at speed. My son Donnie raced at 10AM and had a great result, 10th, considering his 2nd CX race ever. He definitely had the look of pain the entire time and watching him try to get his bike across 40cm uphill hurdles was everything he could muster. In the end he loved it and he can't wait for the next race. My daughter Melissa didn't race as she wasn't feeling great.
 Did a quality warm-up by riding all over the place watching Donnie. It worked well as I got my HR up several times and rode a few miles in the process. Went to the start and figured I'd be buried in the 4th row again. They staged the first row of points and while doing the second row called my name. Good stuff, my first call up. Lined up behind the series leader Sam Morse. I knew Sunday was going to be a lot harder as the course had dried out and my dirt skills wouldn't give me much advantage. Had another great start and entered the grass in fourth position. Much faster than the day before but went into nuclear HR right away. During the first lap couldn't hold the pace and let Mark Gunsalas and John Mosher go by. I was in no-mans land between the leaders and a group working together behind me. Drafting was a bigger deal on Sunday and being solo for a few laps wasn't the hot set-up. Mark Suprenent, Bob Bison and Ed Rambuski were about 30 yards behind me and working well together. I was riding smooth thru the technical sections though and holding my position.
On the next to last lap Mark bridged up and I let him by and tagged onto his wheel. I drafted for the next half a lap and recovered pretty well and and felt good I could get him back in a finish sprint. Coming onto the pavement along the ocean bunny hopped a rock and flatted my front wheel. Being midway through the last lap opted to just ride it and hope my Reynolds wheel wouldn't fall apart (actually came out unscathed). Coming through corners I was rolling the tubular of the wheel and put in some serious body english staying upright. Ended up getting passed by Bob and Ed in the last 200 meters and was lucky that Eric Marro thought I was a lap down and didn't sprint me for the position. Finished in 10th place which considering I rode half a lap with a flat is a solid result. Enjoyed some post races beverages and burgers and watched the 35+ Bikeman crew rip it up. Good weekend, but unfortunately have to miss RI. Next race Casco Bay in Portland.
Don
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