Total Domination at Bloomfield!

Preferred Care once again showed how strong we are as we won the race got third and 7th. Non of those spots were occupied by myself as I have inherited a bit of bronchitis this past week... I tried to race but exploded after 3 laps for the simple fact that I couldn't breath! But screw me; back to PC's total domination.
The very hilly Bloomfield course that would have definitely favored me greatly brought out our climbers in full force as a acceleration by our ever strong Wayne Luther on the 1st climb set us up well strategically as Wayne pulled out a 2 minute lead! The pace was on strong as a 3rd lap acceleration by Preferred Care rider Mike Mathis caused the deciding selection. Quickly on his wheel was our other great climber Paul Komanecky. The 5 man group powered on and away from the main field for the remaining 3 laps getting a in surmountable lead of over 5 minutes.
On the final lap Mathis unleashed a furious attack and heal a blistering pace as he rode home to win the Bloomfield classic by a gap of 2' 20" over second and 3rd place which was occupied by Paul Komanecky. Todd Scheske took out the sprint in the main peloton to score 7th.

Pos Bib Fullname Gender Class Team Age TotalTm
1 75 Michael Mathis Male Cat 123 Male Preferred Care 107 2:55:21.061
2 71 David Hoyle Male Cat 123 Male Guys Racing 21 2:57:45.561
3 73 Paul Komanecky Male Cat 123 Male Preferred Care 107 2:57:46.385
4 81 Dan Staffo Male Cat 123 Male JW Dundees Home Performance 35 2:57:57.081
5 347 Jay Joslyn Male Cat 123 Male Shikluna 2:58:32.164
6 83 Thorben Wieditz Male Cat 123 Male Ital Pasta Transport Belmire 29 3:00:47.289
7 79 Todd Scheske Male Cat 123 Male Preferred Care 37 3:06:47.510

BATTENKILL-ROUBAIX

What a weekend it was starting Friday afternoon at Handlebars Cycle company where I met fellow jr rider Dave Bisinius as we were heading to the Hell of the north together...a "short" 6 hour drive put us into Saratoga Springs out residence for the night...
Opon arival it was a shure thing that this is the biggest event that has ever happened in Salem, which makes my home town of Pendleton look urban.
Junior 15-18 was my challenge for the day and there was an awesome 30 rider turnout for the 60 mile point to point race... The race was a brutal one, with some nasty climbing through some on the most awesome scenery I've ever raced in. The 1st dirt climb was so steep that I was like at 30 rpm in my 25 as the field absolutely shredded behind me, after the 1st two climbs the field was down to a core 12 man group with a rider or two popping on every accent we did...
There was a bit of confusion on where the finishline was beause ther was about a 1 mile strait run in and no banner on the road. . With about 300 M no one knew where the line was until we heard the bell and this huge kid that had been dropped over every climb jumped and got like 5 bike lengths the before I responded I jumped at 250 and almost caught him as I nailed 2nd by at least 6 bike lengths... Over all a fun race perfectly suited for me the definitely a good start to the season.

Ciao for now
Ryan

Orange Domination!

As if it was never here March has since passed and along with it another exciting Spring Giro searon (sob sob)...The good news is the Orange armada is absolutely flying with sprinters Todd Scheske and Jay Skalski dominating every field sprint that came forth in the 4 week 8 race series...with the last week of racing comes my last GIRO REPORT!


Sunday...Rochester
The race started late for me as I waited until I rode 50 meters from the start corner to launch my fury instead of my usual clip in and sprint. The attack went no where as after 4 weeks all are keen to my disapearing act I preform at the beginning of a race...but like the true attack freak that I am, I was caught went to the back of the pack for 200 meters then went forth again on the next hill to try to dislodge myself from the pack. I must have forgotten my invisible cloak that Robbie Mcewen granted me as I was once again caught and then countered by ever strong John Rhoden(JW dundees) but like true pirates that we are Jason and Mike were quick on his wheel quickly followed by a few others as all hell broke loose...LITERLY!
As we crested the thruway overpass and descended onto the Mendon loop we met a wall of water that quickly diminished any thought of being dry for the next 50 miles the rain as it was came down as hard as imaginably possible for a good 15 miles as the Mathis/Skalski driven break powered away to a gap exceding 30 seconds...realizing our teammates were the chosen ones, that would ultimately win the day Todd, Jeff, Chris and I took up the job of making the main pack SUFFFEEERRR(insert evil grin here). And suffer they did ,knowing we were at no risk of catching the breakaway we drove the pace to insure the now soggy pack would most definitely be going to beg early tonight. Pacing along at consistent 30+ MPH speeds the pack was in splinter mode. At as everyone suffered thoroughly I pulled through at 31...looked back to find the face of pain opon the rider behind me, I said screw as I it dropped my Tarmac into the 12 and ratcheted the pace up to 37 for a good half mile to prolong the pain for a while.
But then problem arose as armada captain Scheske flatted and even with the quick wheel donation off Jeff, Todd couldn't regain the main pack as it was now screaming along. Unfortunately I didn't realize Todd had flatted as I could have helped him back into the pack.
...The final lap of the Mendon loop was on as I was now isolated without team help in a Dundees/FM vista controlled pack...after a hard solo chase of a Vista rider, JW dundees rider Cheyne Hoag countered and it was 2nd verse same as the 1st as the lazy 15 rider pack sat there like it was a group ride. I was having none of this though, I was still tired from the 1st chase but I soldiered on after Hoag after a few hard pulls and yells at other wheel suckers I took the last pull and caught the now 3 rider group with 500 meters to go... Panic ensued as I realized I had only 300 meters to rest as a 200 meter uphill sprint was still on my plate..ripping down the final strait I followed the wheels of early jumpers and was on a slowing wheel as a Yellow rider came to my right blocking me in as I now came around the slowing rider and had not enough tarmac to get my Tarmac SL over the line to win the main field sprint, and ended up 2nd.

Good news on the day is that up the road a double pronged Skalski/Mathis attack sprung Mike to the win with Jason finishing a close 2nd. as Preferred Care swept bolth days of the last 2 weeks of the Giro racing action.


Its late and my type happy fingers hurt, so I will follow up with Saturdays report tomorrow...Check back in soon...
Ciao for now
Ryan