Umm so that was really hard. Not much else to say. First time up the hills felt nice (because we were neutral). Then it got hard. Dropped my chain on the second lap. Then the field split in half the third time up Wady-something. Took some pulls to close the gap which took all of the lap. So 4th time up the hill and my group had just caught back on. That's when the field shattered entirely (I think... lost track of the laps). For the rest of the race it was Tom, two juniors and myself. The juniors were no help whatsoever. But Tom and I kept pulling and kept passing folks who got shelled.
I had no expectations for the race since it was my first P123 field but I finished 17th so I was the top cat 3. I thought that it would put me in the lead for the cat 3 VT cup then I did some math and realized I'm still in 4th place. So hopefully I'll have some leg strength back tomorrow?
Oh and the race was shortened by a lap so the pros missed a chance to wail on everyone for 12 more miles.
Brumble 2018
Re: Brumble 2018
Yes, a tough race for sure. The climbs were just short enough that I could follow the fast wheels and almost but not quite explode at the top. Of course that adds up and I couldn’t do it again when it mattered the most. A break of 3 went early. I put a lot of effort into an attempt to bridge on lap 2 with Billings and Hildebrand, but we brought a couple others who didn’t work (at least one of them had a teammate in the break) and that ended up being fun but not useful. The weather was great! The race predictor had me at 14th and that’s what I did. I’m actually fine with it since my road results points are pretty much all based on flat races and this was not that.
Re: Brumble 2018
Robbie,
How does that still put you in 4th place in the series?
Doesn't it make you 2nd with 85 points to Travis' 90?
-Chris
How does that still put you in 4th place in the series?
Doesn't it make you 2nd with 85 points to Travis' 90?
-Chris
-Chris Busick
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Deltabrian
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Re: Brumble 2018
They are showing standings after each race. Robbie's 4th and Tucker is 3rd.
http://vtcup.com/brumbles-kermesse/
http://vtcup.com/brumbles-kermesse/
Re: Brumble 2018
Didn't realize it was a 3/4 (and not just straight 3) competition, so Tucker should be in the lead except he's listed as Tucker "Wetrock" in road results.
Dave Mingori
Re: Brumble 2018
They ranked me as 17th, not 1st (the cat 3 were scored as part of the 1/2s but counted towards the cat 3 cup).
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Deltabrian
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Re: Brumble 2018
Robbie, Mike, and Travis are in today's 3/4 race. So a change could happen on the leaders jersey. Go Robbie!
MRC is leading the team comp for 3/4s now, so that's cool! Good luck today guys.
MRC is leading the team comp for 3/4s now, so that's cool! Good luck today guys.
Re: Brumble 2018
Men's cat 4:
The day was cold but not really historic in any way because the weather had unfortunately decided to reign it in. I wished Rees was there, because at Chris Hinds he made everyone feel very warm. We started off.
I liked the course. It has three hills which are about oak hill sized but feel smaller, and the last two are punchy, but not hella punchy? Eventually I intend to submit this climb rating system to the UCI. After that there's a lot of downhill and then through feed again on the way to VO2 City, population you.
This thing was kind of an ice cream ride for the first 40 miles, I guess because everyone was a little nervous about soloing away or making breaks on a harder less familiar course. Everyone except for This One Dude, who popped off the front every lap on the same flat section before the hills. On the third lap it stuck, and he built up a 30s advantage.
By the last lap, everyone had had enough of that, so a combo of race hero Mike W and a couple 545 riders joined forces to bring This One Dude back. Tucker was keeping himself out of trouble at the front, and that was good, because everyone further back than about 10th wheel was getting rickrolled by a CCNS rider in a white kit who managed the difficult trick of causing every single incident of yelling and brake-grabbing for the entire race. No kidding! Literally every one. Compare this to our own Cal, whose tire exploding was so drama free that I had to ask if that's what it was. A statesman-like tire failure.
With everyone back together we enter the final set of hills, and AJ gets up front and sets a pace sufficient to discourage attacks up the first. I move up intending to do the same on the second, then on the second hill other riders start putting in digs that are getting tough to keep up with. Tucker takes a look around and puts in an attack at the top of the climb which only about five guys are able to go with. I support this move by getting cramps. And chasing on over the top of the hill with a good gap back to the next group.
Then we're on the final downhill, and at this point my chain dropped 3 times in succession because SRAM red likes to keep life interesting, like a vintage MG or the villains in bond movies. It's all good, drivetrain! We're going downhill, do what you feel.
On the final hill I did what I could, creaking and oinking my way to the line behind a pile of age dopers while emitting a series of noises like when (guessing here) a congressman makes it to home base. The last I saw Tucker he was in shark-like pursuit of a final attack on the hill. My effort was good enough for 7th, eagerly awaiting more reports!
The day was cold but not really historic in any way because the weather had unfortunately decided to reign it in. I wished Rees was there, because at Chris Hinds he made everyone feel very warm. We started off.
I liked the course. It has three hills which are about oak hill sized but feel smaller, and the last two are punchy, but not hella punchy? Eventually I intend to submit this climb rating system to the UCI. After that there's a lot of downhill and then through feed again on the way to VO2 City, population you.
This thing was kind of an ice cream ride for the first 40 miles, I guess because everyone was a little nervous about soloing away or making breaks on a harder less familiar course. Everyone except for This One Dude, who popped off the front every lap on the same flat section before the hills. On the third lap it stuck, and he built up a 30s advantage.
By the last lap, everyone had had enough of that, so a combo of race hero Mike W and a couple 545 riders joined forces to bring This One Dude back. Tucker was keeping himself out of trouble at the front, and that was good, because everyone further back than about 10th wheel was getting rickrolled by a CCNS rider in a white kit who managed the difficult trick of causing every single incident of yelling and brake-grabbing for the entire race. No kidding! Literally every one. Compare this to our own Cal, whose tire exploding was so drama free that I had to ask if that's what it was. A statesman-like tire failure.
With everyone back together we enter the final set of hills, and AJ gets up front and sets a pace sufficient to discourage attacks up the first. I move up intending to do the same on the second, then on the second hill other riders start putting in digs that are getting tough to keep up with. Tucker takes a look around and puts in an attack at the top of the climb which only about five guys are able to go with. I support this move by getting cramps. And chasing on over the top of the hill with a good gap back to the next group.
Then we're on the final downhill, and at this point my chain dropped 3 times in succession because SRAM red likes to keep life interesting, like a vintage MG or the villains in bond movies. It's all good, drivetrain! We're going downhill, do what you feel.
On the final hill I did what I could, creaking and oinking my way to the line behind a pile of age dopers while emitting a series of noises like when (guessing here) a congressman makes it to home base. The last I saw Tucker he was in shark-like pursuit of a final attack on the hill. My effort was good enough for 7th, eagerly awaiting more reports!
Re: Brumble 2018
Nice report, Peter, and really, a great result.
I'm not the best steep-hill climber yet, so this race was a good workout. I think there were a lot of strong riders in the field with us. Lap 2 I tried to coordinate with 545 to let a break go (with Tucker and one of their guys), but it didn't stick. If we'd had more opportunities to provide a 'flurry of attacks', it probably would have, but we couldn't quite coordinate our blocking efforts for them to get away.
That One Dude did gain 30 seconds, so I did a bit on the front for what seemed a long time, basically just maintaining the gap, and pushing hills enough that no one got excited and tried bridging. And to modify Peter's report from above, it was AJ on the 4th lap that put in a huge pull along with the 545 guy to pull that guy back in.
Also, the last time on Wyassup, I felt like we had too many people still with us and 'looking fresh'. My legs were starting to feel the last 4 laps, but put in a slightly-off-the-front dig for the main part of the hill to burn as many people as possible (including myself), so that our finish-guys would have better opportunity on the next hills. Seems to have worked! Half-way up the 2nd hill I couldn't hold on to the front attacks, and worked up as best I could. Competed to the finish line with the Stedman's guy who had put in a lot of early attacks and I took 13th. I thought I was over 20 back, so was pretty happy. I also worked on maintaining good position in the pack for most of the race, which is also an improvement for me.
Kudos to our team for adjusting to how the race evolved. Cal, pretty bummed for you about your tire explosion. Tucker, we'll miss you when you upgrade. Not sure if you need any more points or not. If they were going to mix your name up, they should have put the other way, as Tucker "Rockmore".
I'm not the best steep-hill climber yet, so this race was a good workout. I think there were a lot of strong riders in the field with us. Lap 2 I tried to coordinate with 545 to let a break go (with Tucker and one of their guys), but it didn't stick. If we'd had more opportunities to provide a 'flurry of attacks', it probably would have, but we couldn't quite coordinate our blocking efforts for them to get away.
That One Dude did gain 30 seconds, so I did a bit on the front for what seemed a long time, basically just maintaining the gap, and pushing hills enough that no one got excited and tried bridging. And to modify Peter's report from above, it was AJ on the 4th lap that put in a huge pull along with the 545 guy to pull that guy back in.
Also, the last time on Wyassup, I felt like we had too many people still with us and 'looking fresh'. My legs were starting to feel the last 4 laps, but put in a slightly-off-the-front dig for the main part of the hill to burn as many people as possible (including myself), so that our finish-guys would have better opportunity on the next hills. Seems to have worked! Half-way up the 2nd hill I couldn't hold on to the front attacks, and worked up as best I could. Competed to the finish line with the Stedman's guy who had put in a lot of early attacks and I took 13th. I thought I was over 20 back, so was pretty happy. I also worked on maintaining good position in the pack for most of the race, which is also an improvement for me.
Kudos to our team for adjusting to how the race evolved. Cal, pretty bummed for you about your tire explosion. Tucker, we'll miss you when you upgrade. Not sure if you need any more points or not. If they were going to mix your name up, they should have put the other way, as Tucker "Rockmore".
Re: Brumble 2018
My big takeaway: I look forward to more Peter Kuhn race reports in the future.
Also, great job guys
Also, great job guys
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Thomas Coleman
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Re: Brumble 2018
Thanks for writing that report Robbie! Spot on
Re: Brumble 2018
To echo what has been said about the 4's race it was fairly pedestrian for the first 4 laps. I tried to go a couple times when I saw one of the riders we were marking jump from the front but as soon as the peloton saw a Minuteman kit they were motivated to chase. I suppose that shouldn't be surprising given how we've been dominating so far this season! Also, AJ working with 545 to bring back the solo break was amazing, he's super strong right now.
Going into the first bump on the final lap the group really slowed down. AJ did a soft attack of sorts to string it out, then Mike took up pacemaking duties and pulled the peloton up most of the rest of the first bump, allowing me to stay about 6th wheel with zero effort. As Peter said I attacked over the top of of the second, and about 5 guys came with. I slid to the back of the group and used the draft to attack from the base of the third bump. One of the juniors who said he weighs 138 had a couple bike lengths on me until the gradient eased up and I was finally able to close the gap. The results say I got him by 2 seconds but I'd be surprised if it was more than half a wheel. The teamwork today was awesome!
Going into the first bump on the final lap the group really slowed down. AJ did a soft attack of sorts to string it out, then Mike took up pacemaking duties and pulled the peloton up most of the rest of the first bump, allowing me to stay about 6th wheel with zero effort. As Peter said I attacked over the top of of the second, and about 5 guys came with. I slid to the back of the group and used the draft to attack from the base of the third bump. One of the juniors who said he weighs 138 had a couple bike lengths on me until the gradient eased up and I was finally able to close the gap. The results say I got him by 2 seconds but I'd be surprised if it was more than half a wheel. The teamwork today was awesome!
Tucker Wetmore