This update was initially posted to the CBRC mailing list. Find out more about the club at CBRC.cc.
Sunday morning at Noho felt more like Wicked Creepy weather: cold, rainy, and breezy. The morning racers squeezed the falling moisture into the turf, making a weird kind of mud in the field and keeping the upper terrace interesting. By afternoon though, the precipitation had stopped, the sun was teasing to come out, and the wind was picking up. Just before the men’s elite race started, I tested the sand by our tent compound, and it was almost dry!
But back to that cold, miserable rain – the Men’s 4/5 and 13-16 Junior Boys. Josh Foust finished 60th, with Jason Hanna in 65th behind him. Paul Koniowka finished in 91st, one lap down, after losing a fight with a sandbag. Chase O’Donnell finished 10th in the juniors, with a time that would have made him 45th on the road overall after making up the start gap. James Healey finished a lap down in 31st place.
In the Women’s 4/5, CBRC was represented by Maya Healey, who came in 21st, and NYCROSS alum Melinda Wetzel was shortly behind in 27th place. There was more action behind them, though, as the 13-16 Girls were on course, with both the 9-12 boys and girls behind them. Abby Romlein returned to the podium today after taking 3rd, with Maddy Hanna behind in 8th. Unfortunately, Jack was unable to seek revenge on his brakes today, but Parker Ruppe finished 9th in the 9-12 boys. Lillian Hanna won the 9-12 girls, with Hannah Dinolfo in 4th and Ava and Michalea Koniowka in 6th and 7th.
The Young brothers came out to the Pioneer Valley this morning, with Bret Young taking 38th in the 40+ and Brad Young in 10th place in the 55+. Also, in the 55+, Lance Law finished 16th, and Dave Beals finished 54th.
Today’s Cat 3 Women’s race was better than yesterday’s UCI Elite Women’s race. Lilli O’Donnell avenged her defeat yesterday by building a commanding lead of almost 90 seconds over Annie Hines and coming around Joanne Grogan (who started with a 1-minute advantage) to be first overall. (And giving Colette Sexton a free tow up to Joanne on the way) Claire O’Leary finished 13th and returns home to Minnesota to race gravel or something in the spring.
The Goons did not meet squad status today, with several non-starters. Of those who did start, Jacob McCarthy was 14th, Jack Carey was 24th, Niles Gagnon was 26th (on a single speed, of course.), Peter Dinolfo was 36th to make up the lead lap, and Nate Porter and Jeff K were one lap down in 45th and 46th place. Jeff will probably be lighting up my DMs shortly, complaining he scored 427 points when he needed to finish 40th to improve his points.
Haylee Johnson raced up in her first UCI C2 elite race, finishing 22nd on the lead lap!
Pat Frank finished 22nd in the men’s elite, ahead of Andrew Nicholas in 29th (the first among the riders to be 80%’d).
Nationals are in 3 weeks! STAY STOKED!