Monson RR

[djming]

50+ (cat1-4). Good squad here, lining up with Batten, Chadwick, Cugini, Ehrlinger and Teves.
I was nervous going into this. Wanted to really test myself to see how I could stack up with this field. Having the other 5 definitely helped me focus on what I wanted to do and (for the most part) play it smart.

Start of the race and group of 4 already up the road. Despite John and Rich trying to shake things up into the Rt.20 grind, coming into Brimfield center if anything they're gaining ground. Onto Rt. 19 heading into Wales and now KT to the front. He got out in I think 3-man chase but then smartly fell back before the other 2 gave up. He kept trying to get things organized to chase (as we know he likes to do!) but it now becomes apparent that Wheelworks and Arc-N-Ciel who each have a guy up the road also have strong numbers at the front disrupting any attempts.
Somewhere along 19 I let myself snooze and fell back too far. Whether he realized it or not, I found John's wheel as he was getting to the front and followed him right back to where I wanted to be.

A little discussion with JDZ from 545 as to the state of affairs as we're entering Stafford and after he puts a dig in, I put one in on the rise out of Stafford, mainly to see if I can wake up some other 545 guys or other teams. Nope, Wheelworks once again shuts everything down.
Onto 32 and a couple times it seems like the chase is on only for it shut off again. John back to the front doing a bunch of work. In my mind I begin thinking, "haven't seen Rich in awhile" when out of nowhere there goes the Diesel up the gutter, straight past everyone and right to the front. Finally, two MRC at the front working together and there's a couple others in front of Wheelworks as well. Rich falls back I bit so I move right up on Rich's wheel and give him the "2 miles to the climb" and off he goes again!

Now we begin to see the break and as we hit the climb on the 2nd step I decide to push it a bit more, leading the main field thru the KOM. As we crest, JDZ comes flying by with a couple others and the chase is ON! Into the rollers and suddenly Francis from Wheelworks goes to the front and puts in pull. I kinda give a shrug to JDZ but hell, we'll take the tow! I don't know if he finally figured out he shouldn't be chasing his guy or what, but he backs off and JDZ goes again. I come around him shortly before Wales center for a final pull and all together. Don't know exactly how many we whittled the front field to, but I think around 20.

Then begins a series of 1 or 2 guys going ahead with no reaction and things coming back when I think Jacobs from Wheelworks gets in with two others and they gain. I get in with JDZ and one other but we're just dragging the field so call it off for a bit. Onto 32 and things start to heat up. We catch the 3 and a Celtic guy attacks solo. Gains some ground with everyone else watching when Francis puts in a huge pull. I put in a big effort to get on his wheel, thinking the entire 20 or so are following. We get up to the solo guy when another comes up, out of breath, and says we've got a sizable gap. We all do a little head count and this is the "in the money" group - 9 guys with ~10K to go. Now we work. Nice rotation going and nobody's looking back, just keep working. Over the 2nd RR track crossing and approach the final right turn and it's apparent this is the group. I position myself, don't do anything stupid early on the climb and sit 6th/7th wheel. 2 guys go by me, I follow them and then with maybe 300 to go punch it. Except, the punch never came. I grind by a couple but the legs just said no to any final pop so cross the line in 7th.

Real happy with the result, just wish that final little bit was there.
To paraphrase somebody else "We're on to (Quabbin)"

[jraguin]

Nice job Dave. Those guys are a strong group so you were in great company ... I don't know how they keep getting older and stay that strong but they (and you) do!

[cbusick]

Nice Dave. I wonder how many race reports over the years have ""haven't seen Rich in awhile" when out of nowhere there goes the Diesel up the gutter, straight past everyone and right to the front" in them.

[Thomas Coleman]

Coming into this race i was admitted nervous, it would be my first pure P1/2 Road Race, the longest road race ive done, the big climb was a bit steeper than what im good at, and i was racing against guys 30lbs lighter than me. So with all that to be concerned i was nervous lol. The racing started and might I add it was a smaller feild 30ish guys, so no hiding. It was typical racing with attacks that weren't really going any where but cause my guess its was a smaller feild and nobody wanted to get let behind. The first time up the finishing climb i started to get gapped at the top and in my head i got nervous that the finish was going to be out of my league. I was able to get back on, on the other side of the climb. We kept drilling on the other side I probably worked too hard but like i said there way no hiding in the feild. On the second time up the hill the field shattered about 1/2 and 1/2, i was in the back 1/2..... so the back half had work to do to get back on. I started sprinting across the gap which angered Adam Myerson and he started to scream at me to not sprint, which he had a good point we all need to work together to get across. which later he squashed the beef and just said that he needed me to get the feild back together (he was also in the Velotooler leaders jersey so I understood his desperation to get back to the group) after a hard 5 or so miles it was back together. As we neared the bottom of the climb to the finish everybody was looking for a position. And the moment we hit the bottom of the steep portion of the hill everyone started sprinting. I was able to respond to that, but on the long drag I couldn't recover and was bouncing of my rev limiter. And i got gapped at the 200m togo sign rolling across in 12th. Now that i was completely gassed and out of water I rode back to the school only to miss the turn and ride to palmer . Overall it went well concerning that finish isnt my strength.

[PJ McQuade]

Nice reporting Dave and Tom. Way to grind it out out there - solid results. This one already on my 2018 radar. More uphill finishes please

[Jacob]

Nice job guys.

[jmorrissey]

More uphill finishes please

What PJ said NOT!