Body Concepts Bicycle Race Team – Race Results:
Date: 2013-04 TopSport Stage Race Report 45+ 4
Pete Gemmell and Matt Conidaris were representing Body Concepts.
Race Report: Topsport Stage Race Road Race Report: by Matt Conidaris
Topsport Road Race Woodward Reservoir near Oakdale, CA Saturday, April 6th – Start time 12:40 PM
Starting temperature: approximately 65 degrees. Ending temperature: approximately 73 degrees
Total race miles: 57 miles/6 laps. Total race time: 2 hours 30 minutes. Average race speed: 21.2 mph
We had 27 starters and started out on 26 1/2 Mile Road, the only road that the centerline rule was in effect. There was a pretty strong cross wind, so it was important to be echeloned to the right side of the rider in front of you to get good wind block. Pete went to the front about a mile and a half into the race. Two miles into the race was the first right hand turn.
Pete and 3 other riders went past the turn. I turned at the last second and barely made the turn. Most of the group made a successful turn and ramped up the pace. We had to go hard to get back on. I really felt the effects of not warming up long enough and thought there was a chance I wasn’t going to get back on. Once I got back on, I stayed as sheltered as I could and within 3 feet of the rider in front of me.
Most of the group stayed together, but a few riders got dropped and there were a few others that flatted. About half way into the race, Jim Rademann, with Folsom Bike, flatted. Next thing you know, there is Jim waiting for us on the side of the road. As we rode past him, he joined us. After the race, we asked Jim what happened. He said that a wheel support vehicle gave him another wheel. He asked them to motor pace him back, but they said they couldn’t. Instead, they drove him past our group and dropped him off. He ended up placing third in the race, but received a DNF and was given the time of the last rider to finish the race plus 2 minutes.
There were a few attacks, but nothing really stuck until Pete attacked on the 5th lap. He stayed away for approximately 1/3 of a lap. Once he came back to the group, I hoped he had enough left in his legs to get a good finish.
On the 6th and final lap, with about 3 miles to go, five of the Chico Masters Riders attached on the right side of the road. We reeled them in right away, but the pace picked up. We went around the last corner at 1k to go. There was a strong cross wind from right to left, so the best wind block was on the left edge of the road. Pete was on the left edge of the road about 12 riders back. Doug McKenzie, with Fightin’ Bobas, ended up pulling Pete right to the front. Kris Blee, with Chico Masters Team, had a gap on the rest of the group and won the race. Pete ended up beating the rest of the guys for 2nd and I ended up 15th. Pete’s finish was very impressive considering he was on a solo breakaway the lap before and moved from 12th to 2nd in the last 300 meters.
Race Report: Topsport Stage Race Circuit Race Report: by Matt Conidaris
Topsport Circuit Race Copperopolis, CA Sunday, April 7th – Start time 8:03 AM
Starting temperature: approximately 50 degrees. Ending temperature: approximately 60 degrees.
Total race miles: 27 miles. Total race time: 1 hour 12 minutes. Average race speed: 22.2 mph
The course is the same as the Coppertown Circuit Race. The race went counter clockwise around a 5.5 mile course. For safety reasons, they moved the finish line last year to the end of the straight away after the U-turn and before the right hand turn.
Jim Rademann attacked as soon as the race started, but we reeled him in very quickly. During the race, there were a few attacks, but nothing really stuck. It all came down to the final 1k after the U-turn.
There was a cross wind from left to right, so the best place to be was on the right side of the road. At about 300 meters, Steve Williams and Kris Blees attacked off the front of the group. They had riders across the front that blocked and had sealed the left side of the road completely off. Steve Williams and Kris Blees had a nice gap when they crossed the finish line. Pete finished 11th and I finished 15th.
I didn’t stay to do the time trial, but Pete did and placed 14th and 10 overall for the stage race.
Lessons learned: The BAT & BAR Points for a stage race are earned at double the single race points based on your final placing in the stage race. In addition, there are no points earned for single placing of a stage race, so if you don’t complete all three races and place in the top 15 riders in the final standing, you don’t earn any points. Additionally, teams have the opportunity to gain a lot of BAR & BAT points at a stage race.
Chico Masters Team and Cushman & Wakefield are a good example. Chico Masters Team moved from 12th place in the BAT to 5th place, Cushman & Wakefield moved from 11th place to 6th place and Kris Blees moved from 10th place to 1st place in the BAR. Finally, The Chico Stage race is this weekend and the Chico Masters Team has 8 riders registered, Bikes Plus has 5 and Folsom Bike has 3, so if it weren’t for the 8 riders we have registered for Turlock Lake Road Race, I’d be concerned about losing our huge points advantage in the BAT.
Conclusion: The TopSport Stage Race had great road race and circuit race courses. For the 1st time, the road race course was around Woodward Reservoir. It was 9.5 mile laps around a rolling hills course. The parking lot was all paved next to the reservoir with bathrooms. My TT bike should be built in the next three weeks, so I’m looking forward to doing more stage races. I had a great time last year at the Chico Stage Race and the Little City Stage Race.