Team Race Reports

Bump and Grind is a race held by the Birmingham Urban Mountain Pedalers (BUMP) at Oak Mountain State Park. This year marked the 17th annual edition, and due to popular demand was a 3-race omnium. There were two races on Saturday--Turn-and-Burn and Super-D. Turn-and-Burn was a 20 minutes plus one lap race that twisted and turned on a somewhat cyclocross style course. In the name of "fun" there was a couple of surprises--everybody raced together (beginner through pro, men and women) and we were lined to start up opposite the direction that we had been told it would go...then after a strange start--"go on the horn...ready, set , GO!" (but no horn?!), we were turned around 50 feet later and headed back the original direction. Result: I was now in the very back of the race with about 50 beginner/novice riders in front of me. This resulted in a crash for me and many near misses for the next 15 minutes. Needless to say, the faster riders that knew the plan lined up toward the "back" and were never seen by me again. I raced angry--to me the concept wasn't "fun" it was stupid! At the very least, they should have split the racers up by ability. As it turned out, since I was first in the "old guys" (40+ years) division, I won my division anyway. A few hours later (and many quarts of sweat in 97 degree temps) we lined up for the Super-D. It started up on a mountain ridge, and after a shallow jeep road climb plunged down a rocky, technical, trail that included aptly named "blood rock". This spot has been a place of grief for many riders for years and so was a popular spectator point. I wimped out and walked over blood rock! The course then got very fast, but still technical--some racers got flats from high speed tire impacts on sharp rocks. There was also a fair bit of climbing in the middle of the 5.5 mile course. I was passed by two racers (we went at one-minute intervals), but I could tell they were exceptionally fast. It turns out they were #1 and #3 overall. I was 7th overall and 1st in "old guys". Sunday was the main event--a 32 mile race that had it all--rocks, roots, sand, swoopy trails, twisty trails, long and short climbs, screaming fast fire road descents, paved road, and "blood rock". The 40+ expert field had some very talented racers, including Terry Duran, a local AL racer who happens to be the 50-54 National Road Race Champion. The race started very fast, and quickly there was a group of five that separated off the front. I was the tail end of this group and just hanging on. The group started to split as we approached the major climb of the race and soon were strung out on the climb. The initial leader suffered a flat--the consequence of sacrificing a light speedy tire for a heavier durable tire. That put me in third position, and I raced alone for a good 20 minutes before catching up to Terry back at the parking lot area. Terry fell in behind me for the next 15 minutes or so. This was fine for my strategy...conserve energy and at the right moment...attack! I attacked as soon as I had passed two riders from another category, giving me a good gap on Terry. I went hard until I got caught behind a large group of riders. This is a fact of life in mountain bike racing, at least at the amateur level. I made the mistake of not keeping tabs on behind me, and at the last hairpin corner before the finish straight--Terry came flying around me to take second place! Even more disheartening was that I was only 7 seconds behind first place and had no idea--and he was cramping! Well, that is the nature of mountain bike racing. It was a very hot, but fun weekend of racing and socializing--I will probably be back next year.

Criterium:
On Saturday, Jake, Robert, Trey, Drew, and I lined up in a deep field of 115 or so in Anniston, Alabama. This is a race that we have been looking forward to for some time as it is the rare case where the Category 2 and 3 fields are combined. We were all very excited to pin on a number and race together.

Early in the race, as we thought, was very aggressive and after 6-7 laps, Jake attacked to establish an early break, with Trey covering attacks in between. We were very hopeful that a early break would get established, but unfortunately, with a field that deep, there were too many fresh legs to let it happen that early.
With about 20 minutes left in the race, a 3 man move had just got reeled in on the downhill portion of the course and I sensed a slight lull in the tempo of the field. I attacked on the uphill portion of the course, hoping I would bring 3-5 guys with me to get a solid break established. That did not happen. I was all by myself. I managed to create a gap of 15-20 seconds and dangled off the front of the field, I was even able to gobble up some Primes in the meantime. With 2 laps to go, I heard the race promoter calling out a Primes for the field. I knew that this was not good. The prime was going to certainly ramp up the pace of the field, while I was going all out by myself.. running out of gas. I knew the field would be getting close, and any chance of a solo victory would be hard to come by at this point. With one lap to go, I still had a slim gap of about 10 seconds and was pulled in by the front of the field going into the final 2 corners of the race. At this time, however, I did not really know this, I thought just a few guys had bridged up to me, so it actually worked to my advantage.. I thought I was just sprinting against 4-5 guys vs. the entire field. I was able to put up a decent sprint and managed a 4th place for the team. Drew and Jake managed to finish safely in the field after putting forth great work in covering moves by other teams trying to pull the break back. It was a great show case of teamwork, and a solid result for the team.

Foot Hills Road Race

On Sunday, the guys and I drove up to Piedmont, Alabama for the foothills road race. On the way there, we saw all of the participants in the Cheeha challenge starting their 100 mile adventure for the charity ride. It was great to see the 800+ folks lined down the road. Combined with the crit and road race, it was amazing to see so many people on bicycles. It was a great sense of community, and a lot of the proceeds go to the Cancer society, so overall, a wonderful event to be part of.

We had the rare chance on Sunday as well, to line up in solid 2/3 field for a race that none of us had done before. The course was short in nature at 57 miles, with 4 category 5 climbs, we knew we had our work cut out for us.
In the first 3 miles of the race, a 2 man move went up the road. Jake took a huge dig and bridged up to them. It was a very promising early break with 3 of the largest teams in the field represented. At that point, Trey, Drew, Robert, and I found ourselves at the front, impeding on any chases, trying to break up the rhythm of the chase. There were some fresh legs in the group, and after about 20 minutes in the break, it came back going into the first climb of the day. The field settled down a bit after the break came back, with a few flyer's going off the front, but nothing really seemed to stick. As we approached the 2nd climb of the day, it was a bit surprising to see how steep the pitch was. I was towards the front of the field and saw 2 guys trickle off the front. I am not sure why I did it, but I surged off the front and bridged up to them and caught them at the crest of the hill. At this point in, we where about 35 minutes into the race, and I knew it would be a long time in the break. I took charge of the break trying to get the 2 other guys to work together.. One of they guys, Stephen Leotis from Cycle Concepts was receptive and let it be known that he would work with me. The other, a guy from Mississippi, was not willing to put in much effort to work. Still, we had enough of a gap, it was too promising of a break to not at least try.
As we approached a large hill after 10 minutes of being in the break, the field was fast approaching, Stephen thought we were caught, let off the gas on the hill and faded back into the field. I still felt like there was a chance, so I made a huge surge up the hill and brought the guy from MS with me. This was a bad situation. I was now in a break with somebody who would not work with me. I was able to re-establish the break and gained time as most of the climbs were done for the day, except for the end of the course. It turns out this is a great course to get in a break in as it was twisty and windy with rolling hills for almost the entire course.

After 2 hours in the break, I was able to create a gap of 1 minute and 25 seconds or so, and knew it would be either a sprint for first. Typically, if the person you are in the break with does not work you, they will not sprint you for the podium spot. However, it appears that etiquette was not in play here. I knew my sprint would be nominal at this point since my legs were cramping in the last 5k. The guy who sat on my wheel for most of the race came around me with less than 100 meters to go and sprinted past me for the win, I rolled across the line in 2nd place. That's just bike racing. It was still a solid result for the team.
It was another showcase of great teamwork!! Drew, Jake, Trey, and Robert all managed to finish safely and upright after a hard days work. A special thanks to all those guys for all the effort this weekend!!!e, Robert, Trey, Drew, and I lined up in a deep field of 115 or so in Anniston, Alabama. This is a race that we have been looking forward to for some time as it is the rare case where the Category 2 and 3 fields are combined. We were all very excited to pin on a number and race together.

Early in the race, as we thought, was very aggressive and after 6-7 laps, Jake attacked to establish an early break, with Trey covering attacks in between. We were very hopeful that a early break would get established, but unfortunately, with a field that deep, there were too many fresh legs to let it happen that early.
With about 20 minutes left in the race, a 3 man move had just got reeled in on the downhill portion of the course and I sensed a slight lull in the tempo of the field. I attacked on the uphill portion of the course, hoping I would bring 3-5 guys with me to get a solid break established. That did not happen. I was all by myself. I managed to create a gap of 15-20 seconds and dangled off the front of the field, I was even able to gobble up some Primes in the meantime. With 2 laps to go, I heard the race promoter calling out a Primes for the field. I knew that this was not good. The prime was going to certainly ramp up the pace of the field, while I was going all out by myself.. running out of gas. I knew the field would be getting close, and any chance of a solo victory would be hard to come by at this point. With one lap to go, I still had a slim gap of about 10 seconds and was pulled in by the front of the field going into the final 2 corners of the race. At this time, however, I did not really know this, I thought just a few guys had bridged up to me, so it actually worked to my advantage.. I thought I was just sprinting against 4-5 guys vs. the entire field. I was able to put up a decent sprint and managed a 4th place for the team. Drew and Jake managed to finish safely in the field after putting forth great work in covering moves by other teams trying to pull the break back. It was a great show case of teamwork, and a solid result for the team.

Foot Hills Road Race

On Sunday, the guys and I drove up to Piedmont, Alabama for the foothills road race. On the way there, we saw all of the participants in the Cheeha challenge starting their 100 mile adventure for the charity ride. It was great to see the 800+ folks lined down the road. Combined with the crit and road race, it was amazing to see so many people on bicycles. It was a great sense of community, and a lot of the proceeds go to the Cancer society, so overall, a wonderful event to be part of.

We had the rare chance on Sunday as well, to line up in solid 2/3 field for a race that none of us had done before. The course was short in nature at 57 miles, with 4 category 5 climbs, we knew we had our work cut out for us.
In the first 3 miles of the race, a 2 man move went up the road. Jake took a huge dig and bridged up to them. It was a very promising early break with 3 of the largest teams in the field represented. At that point, Trey, Drew, Robert, and I found ourselves at the front, impeding on any chases, trying to break up the rhythm of the chase. There were some fresh legs in the group, and after about 20 minutes in the break, it came back going into the first climb of the day. The field settled down a bit after the break came back, with a few flyer's going off the front, but nothing really seemed to stick. As we approached the 2nd climb of the day, it was a bit surprising to see how steep the pitch was. I was towards the front of the field and saw 2 guys trickle off the front. I am not sure why I did it, but I surged off the front and bridged up to them and caught them at the crest of the hill. At this point in, we where about 35 minutes into the race, and I knew it would be a long time in the break. I took charge of the break trying to get the 2 other guys to work together.. One of they guys, Stephen Leotis from Cycle Concepts was receptive and let it be known that he would work with me. The other, a guy from Mississippi, was not willing to put in much effort to work. Still, we had enough of a gap, it was too promising of a break to not at least try.
As we approached a large hill after 10 minutes of being in the break, the field was fast approaching, Stephen thought we were caught, let off the gas on the hill and faded back into the field. I still felt like there was a chance, so I made a huge surge up the hill and brought the guy from MS with me. This was a bad situation. I was now in a break with somebody who would not work with me. I was able to re-establish the break and gained time as most of the climbs were done for the day, except for the end of the course. It turns out this is a great course to get in a break in as it was twisty and windy with rolling hills for almost the entire course.
After 2 hours in the break, I was able to create a gap of 1 minute and 25 seconds or so, and knew it would be either a sprint for first. Typically, if the person you are in the break with does not work you, they will not sprint you for the podium spot. However, it appears that etiquette was not in play here. I knew my sprint would be nominal at this point since my legs were cramping in the last 5k. The guy who sat on my wheel for most of the race came around me with less than 100 meters to go and sprinted past me for the win, I rolled across the line in 2nd place. That's just bike racing. It was still a solid result for the team.
It was another showcase of great teamwork!! Drew, Jake, Trey, and Robert all managed to finish safely and upright after a hard days work. A special thanks to all the guys for all the effort this weekend!!!
-John Stowe