By: Embrocation Team Aug 2

This weekend we were a team divided; spreading our efforts across the northeast with Jackson and Bradshaw at the Tour of the Catskills race in New York, while Jurgen, James and Kyle tackled the Norwell Circuit race, more or less on our home turf just to the south of Boston.

Bradshaw finished 19th overall in what was a VERY tough field on an almost unrealistically tough courses. While we’re awaiting a full race report from Bradshaw about his experience at the Catskills race, I think a video might sum up this hilly race:

There’s Bradshaw in the main bunch over the Devil’s Kitchen climb, hanging tough and even out of the saddle, which is a bit unusual.

And I don’t think this is from the P/1/2 field, but it’s still worth a watch. Pretty scary, actually:

Norwell is a race that we can and should do well in, but it seems to be plagued with issues for Team Embro. Last year Jay came into the final turn in good position for the sprint and somehow ended up with another riders foot through his front wheel.

This year, Jurgen, James and Kyle came into this race ready to go, in good shape and with a good shot at getting some results. With some of the fastest racers in New England in attendance, we knew we’d have our work cut out for us, but felt confident nonetheless. Early in the race the pace was steadily fast – very fast, actually, with the top-dogs trading blows at the front for the first three laps, shedding riders off the back but unable to force a real split or break with any change to stay away. On one of the many times up the course’s only real hill, a hardscrabble little thing made more difficult by the 90 degree turn at its base, there was a touch of wheels somewhere in the front part of the field. In the ensuing pileup involved quite a few riders toward the front of the field including James, who crashed into the back of a few riders already laying on the ground. Unhurt, but entangled in riders and bikes, James was unable to get back into the race as it sped on. Up front, the high pace and attacks continued. Jurgen and Kyle were in the mix, Kyle doing a tremendous amount of work at the front keeping things from stringing out too much while Jurgen, feeling good and fast, was waiting for the right time to move.

A couple laps later, up the same hill as the crash, Gavin Mannion of Trek/Livestrong launched a vicious attack, dropping all but one other rider. This proved to be the major move of the race – Gavin would hold on to win the race with seeming ease. Behind, a large break formed, including Jurgen a couple CCB riders and a handful of other strong riders. This group caught James, who while a lap down and out of contention, could still help Jurgen in the finishing effort. The group tried in vain to catch Gavin and then, approaching the finish, got down to the task of picking up the other top 10 spots. James led into the bottom of the finishing climb, a small, select group of riders came around him inside the final 200 meters led by Dylan McNicholas of CCB, who would hold on to take third place. Jurgen, just behind him and ripe for an uphill sprint, was thwarted as his rear tire punctured just as he began his sprint. He still held enough speed to finish 6th on the day, but was denied a top 5 placing by some extremely inopportune bad luck.

All in all, good legs but some less than stellar fortune means what should have been a solid showing ended up being only pretty good. Such is bike racing. It’s also a testament to Jurgen that he continued his sprint on a flat tire and still took a good placing.

Up next: Beverly Criterium this Wednesday. It’s a course designed by Tim Johnson, so it’s basically like cyclocross on pavement. Fun times.