(Tommy on the ground with me riding up to him as Nick runs to help)
The season is almost over, only one BIG race left for me, and many other racers, yet we still find a ways to crash. For the most part this season has been pretty safe, and I think that is due to some really fast racing. The faster we go the safer it is, usually. At some point you just can't go any faster through conrners and be safe (ask Fast Freddy about Elk Grove and the Kelly Benefites team). So this past Sunday we lined up for the last CBR Bar Series event. CBR really took it on the chin this season, so no money for the day's placings was not a big deal, and they only gave out money for the CBR BAR Series finale. Chris and Vera are great and I was really happy to hear they will be back for another year in 2009.
We started off with about 60 guys (and a few ladies) and I am sure only 30 or less finished. We shed people from the start, until finally, with about 5 or 6 laps to go, the split happened. About 14 or 15 guys scampered off the front and esentially it made for two groups of about 15 or so on the road. Tommy was in the lead group trying to protect his 2nd place overall. All he had to do was finish in the top 18, which meant just cruise across the line in the group he was in. But sprinters will be sprinters. Meanwhile back in my group, I was having a talk with some friends about the season and this coming weekend. I came out of tunr 4 (the last turn) and noticed one guy laying the gutter from another team. Then I noticed another guy in the middle of the road about 150m from the finish. Upon closer inspection it was Tommy. That's right, for those of you who are a little slow on the math, let me help you crunch these numbers. There were two crashes in the last 400m in one of the last races of the season, and there were only 15 guys in the group. Even less by the time Tommy cased it.
So the smart thing to do would be to sit up and keep yourself safe (no one was going to beat that Italian Olympic track sprinter anyway (yes there were two Italian National Track guys out there preparing for the Olympics)) and maintain your 2nd, and he couldn't jump over the current 1st place rider. Nope he decides to sprint. Details of what happened are sketchy but it appears he may have tangled wheels with an SDBC rider in front of him. As much as it pains me to say it, it is most likely his fault (Tommy's) that he fell. It is the responsabililty of the rider to watch the guy in front of him. If the SDBC guy came off his line that is a different story, but from the series of pictures it doesn't look like he did. Just one of those sprinting screw-ups that happen some times. Not unlike that of our good friend Eric Barlevev's crash AFTER the line in Harlem.
Tommy was OK, just lost a lot of skin. I encouraged him to end his season right then and there, but he insists of racing this Satruday. I won't be racing with him. Instead I will be going on a warm-up ride and getting ready for Sunday. Sunday will be the 189K National Elite RR Championships. As luck would have it the race is about 10 miles from my house this year, so I will be racing. Not sure if I will be finishing, but I will line up. It may not be the most ideal course for Nationals, but I can tell you right now, it will not be easy. The climb up Jamboree is going to be rough, and the race will blow apart on Portola in the wind. It's going to be a tough one for sure. That will most likely be the end of my season....on the road. I plan on racing a few mountain bike races for shits and giggles. The Club is close with another team in the points title, so if I can jump in a race or two and get them some points I will.
Hopefully the next time I write something on here I am the new National RR Champ, or at least I can say I finished.
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