Course de Marlton-Evesham-Marlton

Mikey Green and I took a ride over the Ben Franklin today for some Jersey-style crit racing at the Course de Marlton-Evesham-Marlton. This is a fancy name for a bike race held on a course in an office park that most area racers have spun around thousands of times. The course has two right angle turns and a sweeping S turn on the back end. It ends on a slight uphill that probably rises no higher than 20ft, but thins the herd a lot more than you'd think.

After taking in the first Master's race, we signed up and lined up and were off. In a lower category race, this is the time of the season where most racers have good fitness, so unfortunately a lot of sketchy riders who would be getting shot OTB in the spring are now strong enough to wreak havoc at the front.

And by wreak havoc, I don't mean getting up to the front and setting a hard pace or breaking away, I mean sitting up in the middle of hard efforts, taking hands off the bars when they should remain on the bars and plenty of unpredictability in the corners.

Mikey and I did our best to stay at the front and stay out of trouble. I haven't raced a crit since the first week of May, so it was a bit of an adjustment at first...a little closer, a little twitchier. However, when you go through the same loop 20 times, it makes it really easy to pick out the right lines and the places to be when it gets fast.

There were two crashes...one in the middle of the race right by the start/finish line and another in the final third of the race on the backside of the course. Mike and I stayed out of trouble and found ourselves 1 and 2 going into the last lap.

Mike played the dutiful teammate and led out...I was right on his wheel, which was going to force someone else to make the first move. A QCW rider and another dude jumped past on the right in the final half mile and I was able to get on their wheel. The finish was on an uphill and I started my sprint a little bit to early. I picked off the other dude, but the QCW rider and two other guys passed me from behind when I faded a little bit at the line. I came in fourth, but just missed the podium spot I was aiming for.

Mikey was pretty spent from his leadout and got swallowed up and came in 45th (it was a pretty big field.) Big ups to Mike because he definitely put me into a position to finish well and I am positive that without that leadout, I probably finish in 10th at best.

All in all, a good day. A good result and both Mikey and I kept the rubber side down and keeping with tradition, we enjoyed 11am Lionshead Lights immediately following the race.

Also, I threw down one of my best murderfaces to date in the final sprint...I really hope the photographer was able to get a shot.