MIDSOUTH MASTER CYCLING CLUB

There were attacks along with riders gently pulling off the front but nothing was able to stay away.  There were a few breaks that seemed to have the right mix of riders but they still didn't stick.  I think the only riders who got dropped were a few LaS'port guys when their teammate, Patrick Marr, attacked hard in the feed zone at the start of the final lap.   With about 10 miles left in the race, I started having some bad stomach problems and wasn't sure if I was going to finish the race without stopping to visit the cane fields.  About 5 miles before the finish, we collectively moved to the front as a team and set a pace to discourage any further attacks.  We probably set the pace a little fast considering the heat and the previous pace of the race.  Mark was gatekeeping while the rest of us rotated on the front.  Jay started cramping up a few mile from the finish and had to drop back leaving Charlie, Ed, Jerry and me to keep tempo. 

Everyone was queuing up on Mark's wheel waiting for the sprint to start on the long straight to the finish line.  We were going into a slight headwind and Mark told me to jump around 200m.  Hopefully I could surprise the riders behind him and stay away.  The rotations didn't work out for a 200m jump as we started to drop teammates before then.  I was the final lead out guy at 300m and pushed the pace into the low 30s but didn't have the legs to really jump and sprint hard to the line.  Mark came around me along with Woody Boudreaux who was racing with the Masters since he couldn't make the Cat 1,2,3 race on Friday night.  It looked very close but Woody was able to just nip Mark on the line for the win.  Everyone else pretty much got pack time except for Jerry who lost a few seconds when he slipped off the back after taking his last pull at the front.

We got a little relief for the Saturday afternoon time trial as a few clouds moved in to block the sun's rays.  We would have a slight tailwind for the 4 mile time trial but it was still hard on the legs following the hot road race that morning.  This was my first race back following a couple of weeks off and my legs aren't where I would like them to be.  My time trial started off pretty good but my speed dipped a bit in the last 3/4 of a mile and I would only finish in 13th.  Mark finished 3rd in the time trial behind Woody and Dan Morgan but stayed only 8 seconds out of first in the GC to Woody.  Ed finished 4th in the time trail after loosing a little time when a dog on the road forced him to brake.  Jay and Charlie finished within a second of each other in 6th and 7th respectively.  Jerry just eased through the time trial to save his legs for support in the criterium race the next day.

Going into Sunday, Mark had a chance at the winning the GC but it was going to be an uphill battle.  We needed to get Mark time bonuses while trying to prevent Woody (likely the strongest rider in the race) from getting any.  Ed could also move up if he could get into a break with anyone besides Woody.  We would hopefully get Woody to chase Ed, Jay or Charlie and tire while Jerry and me would provide support for Mark.  The criterium course is flat and the turns aren't sharp so it again would be hard for an attack to stay away.  Jay attacked at the start and then Charlie attacked as Jay was caught near the end of the first lap.  There was a lot of people chasing breaks and nothing was staying away. 

The hot spot time bonus would be about half way through our 50 minute race.  One of the Texas riders got off the front 20 minutes into the race.  I chased to keep him close but figured maybe he could take the first hot spot bonus leaving the second one for Mark.  Jay jumped to bridge to him along with a Plano guy a lap or two before the sprint.  The pack pace picked up as they rang the bell for the sprint.  I didn't think we were going to catch the three guys off the front but I took my place in the lead-out behind Jerry.  As we made the last turn, Jerry's back wheel washed out from under him and he went down.  My back wheel skidded a bit as I dove inside of Jerry to avoid his bike and continued on towards the sprint.  Ed and some other riders went down while other include Randy Legeai with NOBC jumped the outside curve and rode through the grass before chasing back on.  Patrick Marr sprinted hard and was able to pass Jay to win the first hot spot leaving Jay with the second place bonus.

Jerry broke his shifter and pedal and would be done for the day.  The rest of the race had a few attacks but nothing that wasn't brought back in within a few laps.  As they started counting down the laps, I was on the front setting the pace.  It was just me and Ed the last few laps and we wouldn't have much left for a lead out.  Mark was looking to follow Woody into the sprint instead of lead him so it wouldn't be a big deal.

I was on  the front for the last lap.  Just before the last corner Woody and a few others started to come by me on the inside and I slid over to get their wheel.  Dan Morgan came by hard on the outside at full speed and took the corner wide.  I died pretty quickly as the sprint started.  Mark was following Woody and was able to come around him at the finish but Dan had too much speed and was able to finish first.  We were able to close a few seconds on Woody but he would take first in the GC, 6 seconds ahead of Mark.  Ed kept 3rd place in the GC to round out the podium.  Jay moved up to 5th place in the GC with his time bonus while Charlie stayed 7th and I stayed in 11th.

I always enjoy visiting Lafayette where I grew up and Precision Bikes does a good job with the race.  The heat was definitely the biggest factor in the event and it left me wondering what I was doing racing in it.  As a team we again enjoyed strong results as a team placing three riders in the top five.  My friend, Mark Miller, who owns Precision Bikes was involved in a bad crash during the category 5 road race and hopefully he will have a speedy recovery.     

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