Good things? What good things. Whoever said all good things must come to an end wasn’t on our team. We don’t want anything to end. First, here’s the Villa Park Crit race report in pictures:
Villa Park was the last USA Cycling sanctioned event of the year. So, just like the first USA Cycling event of the year, we were there. It was a pretty good day.
By pretty good, we mean fantastic.
The pictures only tell part of the story. First, Patrick “Don’t call it a comeback, I’ve been here for years” Fasse lived up to the rest of L.L. Cool J’s “Momma Said Knock You Out” and did just that. In his first crit since dinosaurs roamed the earth Patrick announced his return by winning a field sprint stacked with the best in Masters racing sprinters. It’s great to see him out there again. While “real life” obligations have kept him otherwise occupied, they haven’t taken the edge off his fantastic racing form.
Immediately after that masters race, our Cat 4 women’s squad took to the course. Mara and Ashley have been lighting it up this year, and this was no different. Late in the race Mara followed another girl’s flyer and the two looked like they might have gotten just enough to make it last. They did not, but Ashley was able to sit-in until the 200 meter mark and handily win the sprint for the team’s second win in two races. Not far behind, Mara’s attack helped her lock up a fourth place! Both girls later jumped into the women’s open and raced well, with Ashley barely missing the podium while scoring the team another fourth!
But wait, there’s more. While Patrick was changing out of his bibs from his race, and Ashley was taking to the podium for her Cat 4 win, David Ross was slugging it out with a very deep 3/4 field. How can you top winning two consecutive races on one day? By winning three, of course. Ross was just the man to do it. When the 3/4 field came down the end of a long, bumpy finish straight, nobody had the horses to come around Ross.
Boom! Three consecutive race wins on one day by three different riders in three completely different types of race (Masters, Women’s, Mens’ 3/4). Wow.
But wait, there’s more.
The team also fielded a large squad for the main event. Putting riders in every early move of the 1/2/3 race, we missed out on a promising break of 6 riders about half-way through. Several of the BH riders went to the front and pulled the break back. Not all the way back- just enough to make it close. Then RMFK and another rider put in what looked to be the most painful half-lap of the day. And, they got there. When they did, the guys on the front of the pack sat up and the lead break started making good time. Despite some late race attacking among the break they stayed away. Rob sprinted out of the group for a hard earned fifth in a great display of what teamwork can do in this sport.
And that is how we end the USA Cycling road season… with a gigantic “BANG”.
There still remains one of the most fun and enjoyable omniums of the year. In late September, ABD puts on the American Bicycle Racing sanctioned Fall Fling. We anticipate having a large team, including newly crowned ABD National Criterium Champions Andy Kerr (55+), Ashley Korol (W4) and Mara Baltabols (W30+) as well as National Championship Podium finishers Dan Cleveland (40+4) and Shaun Zeller (40+4) trying to help the team win the overall prize!
Aside from that, we’ll be dusting off the cross bikes. Relaycross is this weekend…