Ed,
Just wanted to give you the update for us from the Hall of Fame Crit, for your midweek - July 4 Ride - Race report. July 4 - wake up whole house at 5AM and jam 5 people into van with 3 bikes, numerous wheels and oodles of equipment. Arrive at race course, 1st ones there 7:15AM(better early than late - plus Port a Pots were sparkling newlike) Temperature was late fall like at 60 degrees and overcast with some small sprinkles, arm warmers in July?? The course was 1.5 miles with a couple of good little hills, the biggest right after the start. Made a left 50 yards from the start and then climbed 150 yards on a big ring hill to the top of a small headwind. Another 1/2 mile later was a false flat before a 30 - 35 mph downhill to a left - right chicane, and downhill to the finish. Harder than it looked. I did the 35+ race and thought I could break away from the gun. I stayed away for a little more than 2 laps hoping that 1 of the Van Dessel riders (Austin Armstrong) would bridge up. He did but the field was only 10 yards behind. 3 more attacks off the front thinking that pretty soon they will just let me and whoever go, I get caught again and 3 riders I never saw before rolled away. That was the race, I spent the last few laps trying to bridge across and not getting there, I finished a disappointing 15th overall.
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The main event of the day was the very next race, 10 - 12 yr. old Junior's race, comprising 5 male & 1 female rider(14?). Following the start, on the first trip up the Col, Chris Wallenburg(10 yrs.) made a blistering attack which had all of the other riders, some of the adults too, gasping for air. He cleared the top of the hill 10 yards off the front, and continued solo for some time until chased down by Colavita. As the 6 rider Peloton began the downhill Tim Wallenburg(12 yrs.) made a daredevil attack on the tortuous descent that splintered the field into 4 groups. He & 1 Colavita rider were now off the front, chased by brother Chris and another Colavita rider. The front Duo worked together to increase the gap to over 30 seconds by the finish. The front pair came over the hill and Colavita pulled through the "S" turn, clipping his pedal, skipping his rear wheel, and everyone else skipping a heartbeat. He adjusted his line and Tim, unfazed, passed him after the turn, sailing to what he made look like an easy win with a 10 yard gap, 2 arms up. Then was the Colavita rider, who had managed to rid himself of the winner's brother, finished 3rd. Next was Chris sprinting past the 14 yr. old lone female in the race, to take an impressive 4th for 10 ys.old, perhaps the youngest racer. The last Colavita rider filled out the race in 6th. On the day the 2 Pro Pedals riders outgunned 2 to 4 against a strong Colavita squad took an awesome 1st and 4th.
The only problem encountered was not only did Dad screw up his race but forgot the camera for the perfect winning photo. All in all, it was a good day for Pro Pedals.
>Eric
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