Cloterium Criterium Race Report

Event: Cloterium Santa Rosa Criterium - Pro 1/2
Teammates: URIV (1st), BP (7th), Randy (8th), Aaron (15th), Paul (22nd), Sergei (top 20)

So, here's how today's race played out:

The course was L-shape with smooth pavement and many bot dots. The weather was over 90 degrees, with wind gusts that made the backside of the course treacherous. The race started out fast, with many small attacks, but nothing that seemed too threatening for BPG. UR wasn't sure how he'd feel after the tough race the previous day, so he decided to stay protected in the pack and remain inactive for the first part of the race. Fortunately, Randy, Sergei and Aaron were feeling good from the start and were involved in just about every threatening break that went up the road. BP was also riding up at the front of the race, staying well protected while remaining far enough up in the pack that he could be active when necessary.

After the initial flurry of attacks, the race began to slow, allowing many of the riders to begin to recover. BP and UR recognized this, and after a quick talk decided that it was time to start attacking. After BP and UR traded a few attacks, a rider from the BMC Racing joined in, and the race blew apart at the seams. Attacks were going off every lap, and counters as soon as the they were reeled back in. However, if a group of riders went up the road, there was at least one BPG rider in it. After being reeled back into the group, it was such a great feeling to look over and always see a teammate in the counter move. It really can't be stressed enough how well everyone raced together as a TEAM today.

Toward the latter part of the race (~10 laps to go), a break with BP, UR and the BMC rider were joined by a group 5-7 riders. Shorty after, the break became disorganized, and break began to sit up after seeing the pack close behind. UR immediately jumped, and was able to get a small gap. He was soon joined by the BMC rider, and the two worked well together to increase their lead. Four riders eventually bridged, but were not able to contribute much after the effort to get up to the break. After getting time checks from ATN and Jiro, UR knew that the team was controlling the race behind him, and that they would be ready to counter if he was brought back.
With a little under three laps to go, the BMC rider attacked the break, just after UR was finishing his turn at the front. UR saw that no one in the break had the legs to go with the move, and began to chase. He caught up to the BMC rider with half a lap to go, and was able to claim the victory for BPG. BP caught the remaining riders from the break to take 5th, and Randy was right there to clean up the field sprint.

BPG had a GREAT showing this weekend. I am truly proud to be a part of this team. Everyone raced their hearts out, and in the end we were all rewarded with great results.
A special thanks to ATN, the BP family, Jiro, and MacFreshy for being there for support! It was great to have you all out there cheering and yelling out time checks.

Cat's Hill Race Report

Team: Randy, Sergei, Paul, Aaron, Uthman Rob Evans and BP
Results: BP 4th and KoM; Uthman 9th

BP's Race Report:
So, the fiercely contested Cat's Hill Classic got underway on Saturday, May 5th under much fanfare and beautiful, clear skies. The BPG Posse was out in full force and ready to swing it. Our plan was to be aggressive from the gun and be involved when the race went up the road. I decided to go at the gun and stayed away for 8 laps or so, gobbling up some KoM points. Although the announcers neglected to tell us at the start that there was even a KoM prize!

After I was reeled back the attacks started with the quickness. Uthman and Rob were throwing down on the front, covering nicely and thwarting any attempts by riders from BMC, VMG, Webcor and Cal Giant. I got in a few half-hearted moves, pulled but a stiff headwind around the back stretch prevented the magic separation from happening easily. Randy and Sergei also did a good job of being present early in the race and patrolled the front.

Ted Huang did manage to get away with a Davis Bike Club rider and the two held onto a 10-15 second gap for 4-5 laps. With 10 or so to go, a dangerous move with a BMC rider went up the road forcing Uthman to make a HUGE effort to bridge the gap. Uthman latched on and the break eventually crumbled.

With 2 to go, Randy made a SAVAGE attack at the start/finish line and stayed off for the better part of one lap. Nice work breaking up the lull in the race!

The pace slowed considerably coming into the final time up the hill. I was on Daniel Holloway's (VMG) wheel as his teammate, Eric Riggs, led him into the final time up the Hill. I attacked at the top of the Hill and got a good gap. I tried my darndest to hold onto the gap around the corner and through the park, but the legs were feeling otherwise. I started cramping and had to sit back down. I did the cycling No-No and looked back to see the pack closing.

Coming into the final right hand bend, I tried to maintain position for the sprint, but Dan Martin (Safeway) came through on the outside for the win. I managed to stay up in 4th, while Uthman was in 9th.

Overall, a super strong showing from the BPG group. I was bummed I couldn't get the "W" for the Team, having come so close.

Thanks for reading!

BP

***Below is a Video of the Race Provided by XP Multimedia.com***

Song by: The Transplants
Title: "Diamonds and Guns"

Madera SR

Heated Racing went down in the overheated Central Valley last weekend. Uthman and I went to visit Aaron Cox's stomping grounds with the promise of back to back TT's. Not only did we get our TT's, but we got to do them at temps over 90 degrees both days.

P/1/2
Team; Uthman Ray IV, Aaron Cox and J/A Mendonca
Results.....
Ben Hur TT: 1st J/A, 3rd URIV
Sharon TT: 3rd J/A
Madera Crit: 2nd URIV, 8th AC
Daulton RR: 3rd URIV, 8th J/A
GC: 2nd URIV, 4th J/A

The TT's were TT's....
I had my mind all out of wack for the Ben Hur being super nervous about the hill on the TT bike but still pulled it off by 3 seconds over Michael "Hutch"inson from Spine. Uthman leading the group out had a real impressive ride for 3rd so we were sitting happy. The second TT I got flustered at the start because I got busted with the iPod and then followed by the official that busted me, my head was more into worried about DQ than suffering proper. Uthman also didn't feel happy with his ride so I knew were in some trouble.

Crit..
Going into this one I knew that I had lost my lead, I knew I could have gone harder in the TT and if I could have gone harder then someone else did. Sure nuff Hutch took his 3 seconds back and 36 more. Uth slipped too but the field didn't know how much, he and I did though. Tore from Webcor with his second TT and second P/1/2 race took some time back from me also, luckily I put almost two minutes into him at Ben Hur so his 10 seconds didn't do much. So we had a lax team decision to defend my 2nd overall with mucho work from AC and Uthman just riding me up to breaks if needed. About half way though I started to notice that Spine wasn't paying much attention to Uthman and focusing on me. So I started to open up gaps on Uthman and small groups up the road. Sho nuff Uthman was able to capitalize on a great move. Hutch sent one of his riders up, Webcor had a rider up that wasn't anywhere near GC, Cal Giant had two but they didn't bring any TT stars so we weren't worried about that. In the end the break got around 40 second with Uthman taking 2nd and some bonus time. AC sprinted after doing a 70 minute interval session at 90+ degrees, really impressive.

Carbon Eating (blew the sidewall out of my ritchey's) Road Race...
With GC posted in the morning we were able to see how much the Crit payed off. I was still in second behind Hutch but Uthman moved into third with his bonus time. Still a little over a minute behind Hutch I knew we had to really hit them to get that time back. Either I was getting away for my 36 seconds, or Uthman would have to get away for 1:19. We could have just sat back and rode in with 2nd and 3rd on the day but that would make for a really boring 85 miles and neither of us were up for that. Uthman wanted to ride out the first lap so I went on the offensive from the gun. After the second into third lap he started to trade attacks with me. If they brought me back he went, him back I went with either Buckley or Barbary for Spine covering each time. At one point we let spine rider Kyle Barbary off with Keith Miller and with Kyle in 4th overall behind Uthman I knew that Uthman would have to take the overall. At the end of the 4th lap Uth was able to get away, I wasn't sure how much time Kyle had on him but I knew with 4 other break mates Uth should be able to get up to him and go for the win. I messed around with Hutch enough to give Uthman's break over the minute he needed and out of sight. Going into the bumps Hutch selected the remainder of the pack and rode me in for the finish, I lost Aaron to a flat and he would have come in super handy on this section and was saving it all for it. I was pretty sure that Uthman took the GC already but just in case Hutch's speed was enough to bring us back to under a minute I had to attempt to take the 36 seconds back. We were all alone for 7th and 8th into the finishing rollers and I hit him on every one, but he clawed me back each time, without the 36 seconds I just rolled across the finish.

Uthman's break didn't work well with only two members working out of it, Barbary and Miller stayed off and Uthman came in for the top spot out of his group. Enough for 2nd on GC which was where we were before the start, Hutch held onto his lead over me and down to 3rd and I was 4th behind him. Webcor wasn't much of a GC factor since they did more damage control than GC defending and lost too much the crit the day before. So the RR was really down to Spine vs. BPG and we raced each other with everything we had. It was a great weekend, with great racing and great competition. Prob my favorite Madera SR out of the 3 I have done so far. Uthman and Aaron raced their hearts out for BPG and that ended up being the highlight that left me with a smile at the finish even with a bit of heat exhaustion kickin in.

-andy