Body Concepts Bicycle Race Team – Race Results:
Date: 2013-03-30 Copperopolis Road Race Report 45+ 4 – Start time 11:10 AM.
Category: Men 45+ 4
Race Report: Copperopolis Road Race Report (Group A): by Mike Ewing
We had 31 starters, John Ensign, Randy Floyd, Ron Faulk and DJ Singh were representing Body Concepts.
The rough course showed it’s itself immediately! Near the top of the first hill Jim Forester of Cushman Wakefield made a move. Fred Crone followed, we chased until part way around the lake. Made the catch and Fred said to me where were you to help? We continued to push around the course and down that fast, bumpy descent. Got to the finish area on the 1st lap and Fred started offering bribes for help at the finish.
On the second lap, up the first hill started to notice the fatigue setting in because of the pace and road conditions. Ryosei of Sho-Air made a move at the top of the first hill, followed by Kevin Odonell of Cushman. They got a gap on us of about 100 meters by the top of the hill. 7 of us were following, I was feeling the courses wrath. I focused on holding the wheel of Robert Leever of B P. Dan Goldsmith of Sho-Air was also near, but I knew he would not work with me to chase his guy down. We crested the hill before the lake, I was feeling better at this point. Chris Bond of Pen- Velo and I were pushing the pace to catch back on. We all started a rotating pace-line but guy’s were tired. Bond, Leever, and I were doing most of the work. Chris Bond told the other guy’s to work to catch them. Dan Goldsmith was a part of this group and I figured he wasn’t going to work too hard and bring his guy back. He wasn’t so I was taking double pulls from time to time. D J was also in this group of chasers which was awesome. All started to work and we caught the two leaders as we turned north at the lake. No one was helping Ryosei, but he continued to push at the front. I was drafting at this point to get some recovery.
After a mile or so I came to the front to man up (lol) and work a little to relive the superman Ryosei. Then others started to do the same. As we came to the end of the lake area, D J said to me he was cramping. Shortly there after I began to feel cramps also. The hill began and I started to fall off, then I noticed Ryosei also having trouble. I settled in behind him and continued to push, we both got disconnected. We crested that hill together, we started down a small saddle descent and went superman, big ring and made the catch back to the group with Ryosei barely hanging on. This was right before the nasty descent!
We came to the rise before 1k and people slowed for a moment, then the the 1k sign came up. the pace began to increased, at 200 meters we punched it. I noticed my shifter was jammed, distracted for micro-second then we punched it. I went around on the left sprinting hard, pulling little wheelies each pedal stroke got straight to the line. Punched even harder and caught the 4th place guy at the line by sliding the bike forward for 4th place! Yeah go, Body Concepts Race Team!
Final results; Mark King,Dan Goldsmith,Chris Bond,Myself,John Marengo,Robert Leever,D J, Kevin O’Donnell,Ryosei Kaneko,Fred Crone,Brian Baxter,Marty Panos,Paul Page-Hanson, Tim Locke,John Ensign,Anthony Low, Randy Floyd,and Ron Faulk……
Race Report: Copperopolis Road Race Report (Group B): by Charles Magnuson
The usual tough day of racing in Copperopolis. Our group was whittled down the first time over the big climb, and then in the flats Randy and Jack did some hard riding at the front, putting a hurt on riders who hadn’t fully recovered from the climb. During a lull in the pace, a Raley’s rider casually rode away and got a huge lead, but was eventually caught.
The lead group was further reduced the second time over the big climb—-now there was only eight, which included Randy and me. Brian Gates of Barclay’s made constant attacks, but would then sit up and get re-absorbed. Then the group worked pretty well, pace-lining for several miles to keep the chasers from re-joining.
A couple miles from the final climb, I attacked. I was feeling good, and I figured Randy would at least get a free ride while the group chased me. Brian Gates got on my wheel, and the two of us got a good gap. I looked back at him, but he wouldn’t pull through. This guy had been making mindless attacks all race, and now that he could have actually done something meaningful, he just sat there. I sat up and waited for the group.
The group stayed together over the climb/descent, and then approached the finish. I thought I would lead Randy out, but not having learned a lesson at Regalado, I started way too soon and did not deliver Randy close enough to the finish. Randy, though, made a MONSTER sprint for the win, passing Gates and then staying ahead of the four riders snapping at his heels.