Fearsome foursome? Not yet.

This weekend marked my return to the expert ranks. You see, I have been racing since I was 15, expert since I was 18. Then I took a several year break from racing regularly to "find" myself (read get fat). 2005 saw me try a race in the newly formed Comp division, DNF. 2006 saw me try Comp again, but with much better results. This year I returned to expert, although races like the MNSCS series are low on the season's priority list (Just lining up my excuses now).

Harmon park is a lot of FAST singletrack packed into a small area. There is not much of anything for elevation change or trees. This set up the race for drafting and plenty of opportunity to see the other racers. At the start I was able to hit the singletrack in 11th position. I spent that 1st lap behind 2 Penn guys with local hot shot Matt Kurke behind me. Matt and I couldn't help but be frustrated with the fact we were only seconds behind the lead group of 8. Matt went to the front at the second lap to bridge and I tried to go with him, but the legs were feeling the road and mountain TT's from this week. The second lap saw Matt seconds in front of me and the Penn riders, and the front group just 15 seconds farther. After the second lap my race didn't go so well. I slipped out in a corner and permanently lost the wheel of Matt and the Penn guys. The Accelgel, while fine in training, was to thick in the race and I threw it up (gotta get some more Hammergel). I had to ride the race on water alone. 4th and 5th laps saw Matt and the Penn duo not far off the front, but I was slowly dropping. The lack of calories was getting to me, but hadn't hit me hard enough to harvest the local vegetation. A Salsa rider caught me and towed me around for much of the 5th and final lap. I was getting ready to shoot out of the singletrack and set up for the sprint when "bam". I slid out on my fourth corner (I was leaning my bike over too much given that these corners were hard packed with light sand on top). Well, Salsa dude had only a little way to go, so I came in the finish area without whipping it out (the sprint that is).

.

13th place overall was were I ended up. I am very happy with that considering it was my first expert race in years and my body is fairly beat down with training. Gotta beat it down to build it up. By the way, I said "beat it". He, he.

.

Chris and Brendan were 2nd and 3rd in the 3 up sprint for the win. Ben was 7th, just seconds behind. They constitute the "Fearsome Threesome" of the Velorochester riders. Together they will do some damage to the team competition in that category. I consider myself the alternate. Just in case one of them has a bad day. The "Fearsome Foursome"? No, I am not there yet, and my appearances on the MNSCS circuit will be few.

.

Sugardaddy and I shared a car on the way up. He won a 4 up sprint in comp to roll across the line in 10th, but he rolled across the "lap" gate line and not the "finish". Those silly road riders. He ended with 13th in his category as well.

.

The sport riders out on the unique course. Thanks Skinnyski.

A pick of the "Fearsome Foursome". Not sure who is who.

In other big news....one of my homies that is a true OG got his woman knocked up. Congratulations Cory!! Hopefully we will see nothing but good times and not you on Maury Povich yelling, "I am not the baby's daddy"!

Get to work.