Twilight Crit to Benefit Cystic Fibrosis, Thompson Speedway, CT
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Steve Weller and Nick Keough racing
1st place (Steve Weller) and 7th (Nick Keough)
Results: http://www.bikereg.com/Results/2009/06/27-Twilight-Criterium-Cystic-Fibrosis.asp
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With some big races coming up in July, Nick Keough and I headed to the Twilight Criterium at the Thompson Speedway to fine-tune our form. A small, but deep, field turned out, with riders from Spooky/NCC/Kenda, Mountain Khakis, Hot Tubes, and NorEast taking the line.
Nick started things off with a good kick from the line, and I countered his initial move on the third lap or so, quickly getting a gap with three other riders. We worked well together, slowing up slightly as two more riders came across the gap. The field was 30 seconds behind for a few laps, and started to take time back on us mid-way through the race. Shelling three riders from the break, NorEast rider Jon Awerbuch, Fitchburg CC rider Luciano Pavan and I made a hard final push to lap the field, catching them with about 14 laps to go.
From there, Nick and I patrolled the front of the field, with Nick covering moves and keeping the pace high enough to discourage attacks and try to keep the ever-dangerous Alec Donahue (Spooky/NCC/Kenda) from lapping the field.
At the bell lap, as Alec finally connected with the field, I was on Nick's wheel setting up for the sprint. Nick jumped on a late-race surge by a rider out of turn two, which gave us a clean shot to the finish: Nick and I hit it out of the last turn with an open shot at the line, with Nick taking the field sprint for 7th and me coming across the line next, ahead of the rest of the field, for the win.
With some great team work from Nick, and a solid race and victory under my belt, I'm eagerly anticipating racing with the whole team this week at the Fitchburg Stage Race.
