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Bryan Park Cycling Series
August 24, 2004
Ashby's tactics delivers Baker
Richmond Ciclismo's Terry Ashby engineered a cycling train that drove team-mate Keck Baker to the front of this evening's Bryan Park Cycling Series. For Baker, who began this season at the beginner entry level, category 5, the win will be helpful to next season's goal of moving up.
It was Ciclismo's Ashby who, one month ago, emailed to the team an article written by Richmond native Erik Saunders. The article is titled "The Art of a Good Lead Out." Ashby insisted the team read the advice and practice the tactics.
So, on the final lap when Ashby told Baker "Keck, get on my wheel," Baker said he expected some excitement.
"I said, 'hell yeah," Baker said. "We past John McGarva (of SP Imports / Palani Drive) and Terry led out the whole back stretch. I kept checking back."
"We had the Ciclismo team lined up," Schindler said of the six riders who went to the front. He added when the riders in fifth and sixth create a two or three bike gap in the sprint, it's next to impossible to for another team to move ahead.
Baker sprinted past Ashby as the pack almost caught him. Stephen Selby and John Schindler completed the Ciclismo sweep finishing second and third. Team Cobblestone's Dan King placed fourth. Ciclismo's Matt Forbes placed fifth even though he held back to create the gap crucial to the textbook lead out.
About that textbook, reading what Saunders has to say about cycling is smart. According to a Velo News web-site, Saunders, who is the captain for the pro team Ofoto / Lombardi, placed 10^th among the professionals at the USPRO National Criterium Championships in Downers Grove, Ill.
Also in Downer's Grove, Ill., in the men's elite national championships (the highest amateur level race), Velo News reports that Richmond's Jon Wirsing placed second. Wirsing rides for Team Snow Valley. According to the Velo News web-site, Wirsing worked in a break that barely held off a surging pack.
Back here in Richmond, with 18 laps to go, Baker won a SP Imports / Palani Drive prime. A prime (pronounced "preem") is given to the winner of a designated lap.
SP Imports / Palani Drive's Mason Haymes, another up and coming category 4 cyclist, won the $25 prime awarded by his own sponsors.
In this weekend's age-graded criterium district championships in Chesapeake, the locals did well.
For Ciclismo, Matt Mega place second in the 30 to 34-year-olds. John Schindler placed third in the 35 to 39-year-olds. Since all the 30-something men raced together, bronze medalist Schindler finished ahead, (in a breakaway) of silver medalist Mega.
"Virginia Beach Velo had riders in the initial break. Then, they did a good job sitting in on every rider trying to bridge up," Mega said. "And the wind was so much that if riders didn't pull through all the way, then the pace completely dropped."
D.C. Velo's Gary Hoffman won the 50+ age group.
Conte's / Cycor's Dennis Rainear said the wind prevented breaks from getting away from the pack.
"This allowed the stronger sprinters to sit in the back without having to work while Bernie Sanders (who recently placed 10^th in the national road race for the age bracket) and I did most of the work," Rainear said. "We tried hard to keep the tempo up to 26 - 27 (mph) so as to not play too much into the hands of the sprinters.
"We should have yanked it to 32 to shake up the pack," he added.
"I was able to keep the break in view," Hoffman said of his win. "They were easy on me. It was a perfect set up for me. I even had a tail wind at the finish.
Team Cobblestone's Dave Swager placed second. Rainear placed fourth in the 50-54 age bracket. Conte's / Cycor's Tom Doyle placed second in the 55-59 age group.
SP Imports / Palani Drive's Mason Haymes won the earlier b-race in a group sprint. Wes King placed second. Graham Copeland placed third. Mark Connelly placed fourth.
Ciclismo's Joe Notoricola won the $20 SP Imports / Palani Drive prime after he continued to power a solo effort to hold off the surging pack.
The Bryan Park Cycling Series is a weekly United States Cycling Federation event sponsored by Richmond Ciclismo of Richmond, VA.
