Super Squadra

Super Squadra is currently embroiled in our most intensive racing block of the season. Starting with last Thursday’s Driveway criterium and finishing with this weekend’s Tulsa Tough, three-day NRC event, we’ll test our legs seven times in eleven days. It’s a final blowout before a long awaited “summer break.”

In continuing Wheeler’s winning streak at the Driveway, Wenger pulled off an amazing victory on Saturday at the Gary Glickman criterium, held on a titillating circuit in a Richardson business park. The course, although it featured a 180-degree turn, was fast, fun, and enjoyed by all. With a fair amount of elevation gain and loss heading into and away from the start finish line, it was fairly easy to split the field, but nearly impossible to stay away as we barreled down the backside of the course into a direct headwind. A multitude of splits emerged, including a very dangerous move containing Wenger, Stefan Rothe, and Sol Frost, but as the lap cards ticked down, the field remained more or less together.

After a group containing myself and a number of other dangerous riders, including Lawson Craddock—who appears to generate watt output by flailing his arms and legs as ferociously as possible—came back at the bottom of the backside hill, Wenger took a flyer off the front in an attempt to both win the race, and set Phil up for what appeared to be an inevitable field sprint. However, the gap to Wenger never closed as he punched it up the hill, and started his victory celebration well (very, well) in front of the finish line.

Sunday’s GS Tenzing crit presents a strong argument to make this weekend an omnium event. With a lower prize payout and a fun, but slightly less engaging course, the incentive for many racers to skip the event and save their legs for Monday’s State Championship race is gaining more and more appeal. We considered it ourselves this year, before ultimately deciding we drove north to race, and race we will. Despite a few missing faces, a large field of 80 or so riders lined up for the flat, albeit windy course next to Frisco’s EDS Superdrome. From the start it became obvious that many were racing conservatively, and it would require a late, hard effort to stay away from the bunched up field. That’s exactly what happened when I joined forces with San Jose’s Heath Blackgrove and Bike Barn’s Mitch Comardo with about 20-minutes to go. We worked efficiently together and held off the chasing TX Tough led pack to battle it out in a three up sprint. I took a moment of hesitation to open up my final kick, but failed to dupe Heath, who caught my draft and managed to get by me a few meters from the line. Phil, Wenger, and Ting (glorious Ting) all finished in the top ten as well. Although second wasn’t the result I’d hoped for, I gotta admit it’s pretty cool having the chance to go toe-to-toe with an Athens Twilight winner on our home turf.


Finally, Ft. Worth. For the last five years or so the site of the State Criterium Championships has remained at the Will Rogers Center, a spectator friendly urban venue with a technically demanding course. After our two previously successful days of racing, we came into the late Monday morning start with a laid back, yet confident team vibe. The team plan revolved around racing conservatively for the first 30-minutes, so when Stefan Rothe took off solo on lap one, we were pretty happy. However, Stefan was paid well for his time off the front with roughly $500 in primes. With an hour to go Wenger and I relieved Wheeler, who’d been guarding the front of the field like a man possessed, with a succession of counter attacks. From that point on the field stayed more or less single file, with many Super Squadra represented breaks heading up the road, but none sticking for more than a few laps. Knowing our best chance for victory would come out of a small group, we kept the pressure on until three laps to go, when San Jose’s Heath Blackgrove took the front of the field and promptly mowed down anyone trying to get away. In the chaotic dash for the line Phil got squeezed in the second to last corner by a team diving to the inside, and subsequently tossing a cone up into the top ten riders. It bounced around like a graduation beach ball and created enough of a distraction to put anyone in its way out of contention. Phil held on for sixth with Wheeler in ninth, and both myself and Wenger grabbing the last couple money spots.

Another Thursday in May, another Wheeler win. Yawn, this is getting predictable…. except not at all. Together with the ebb and flow of form and participation of the competition and with the variety of race courses on offer at Holland Racings Driveway series, there’s plenty to love about the last three weeks of racing.

Allow me to briefly recap the first two Wheeler victories. First week Wheeler followed John Korioth’s first lap downhill attack and we wouldn’t see him again until the celebratory cheek-slap (we don’t really do that) after the race. He rode judiciously in the break as they extended their lead and following some attacks in the final flat lower loop, overcame Evan Lambert with relative ease in the finale. Back in the field we played the bully and kept the field together before I led out the last lap for Wenger. It was a portent for the teamwork we would deploy over the following two weeks.

Fast forward to the second Thursday in May and the heat was back in town. Many of the strongest riders in town were back and TX Tough’s Tyler Jewell was on the mend and ready to get back into his finishing groove. We snagged one or two primes during the evening and in general countered and chased all significant moves. We were racing the full circuit clockwise which makes a breakaway exceedingly difficult. Two dangerous moves featuring Peter Carey (fresh of JMSR stage success) were negated first by Ian and with the final blow dealt by myself. Wheeler was cool and relaxed throughout. Coming through the final lap though Peter had a nice gap of 10s and chase support was dwindling as Wheeler was in third wheel with a full 1.5 miles to the finish. In a bid for the stage win and as a decoy to draw out the finishers I attacked with about 1 mile to go and garnered a nice gap. Sol Frost bridged across but with one more trip up the corkscrew and already at the limit it was stalemate. I looked behind to see Wheeler’s neon leader’s jersey and I hit out one last time for him taking him from the catch to the top of the corkscrew. I swung left and watched him navigate the final corners opening up his advantage the entire way.

This week around the competition was even better with select THSJ riders like Heath Blackgrove and OUCH’s Pat McCarty gracing us at our weekly race. The race was a bit lethargic and negative throughout as no group ever made much inroads towards a winning move for the first 45 minutes. However, late in the game a select group of Wheeler, Sol, Scott Henry, Korioth, Pat and several others coalesced off the front. I shot across to provide support to Wheeler and with only 3 laps and counting it looked like a wrap. The group was large so everyone did their turn at the front and we rolled well together. Inside of one lap to go Wenger and Heath finished their bridge and we had three to sort out Wheeler’s leadout. I took the helm and led us down the corkscrew and into the final hill. I quickly followed Pat and Sol’s acceleration and slotted in with Wheeler in tow. As we entered the final curves I took the lead and ramped it up for the finish. I felt easy and knew with Wheeler on the wheel I could actually give the finish a dig without jeopardizing him. Instead of pulling up and wide into the final chicane I dove in hard and washed the front wheel. Wheeler had the poise to keep it upright and as best I can tell from the photos wrapped up the win somewhere near 50m to the line. I was happy but with a cramped up calf and riders barreling through the apex of the turn towards me tempered my excitement a bit. It may have even looked like I was angry about the large amounts of exposed flesh wound but that’s just me.

State crit this weekend is unfortunately not held on a Thursday or at the Driveway. Hrmph. We’ll still contest it and hope for the best.

For all of the excitement surrounding alternative fuels, I decided to follow trend with a bit of testing. However, the evidence that going green, or in this case red(cherry) and blue (blue raspberry), did not point towards a viable source of energy for the future hot and humid bike rides.

With all my AP exams now behind me, I can take a bit of time to recount the events of this past weekend. The pairing of Coldsprings and the fairly new Sugar Cycles Criterium makes for an exciting first weekend in May. Although my team members from Austin may have a few unflattering nicknames for my hometown of Houston, I know that they do truly enjoy this weekend in early May.

 

Since the creation of Super Squadra, the team has stayed at casa Ting the night before Coldsprings. This year the Miu-dar (Miu is my dog’s name) picked up the Bicycle Sport Shop Sprinter van pulling into the street as the sun was setting over Spring, Texas. A plate of hot and authentic dumplings that I prepared earlier in the day greeted my Austin mates; special thanks to my sister for helping me wrap them. We scarfed down the meal and then found ourselves outside checking out my dad’s two 1970s muscle cars. After dumping a bit of CO2 into the atmosphere and oooing and ahhing, we were ready to settle in for the night in preparation for the next day.

An early morning ensued, and after a healthy stack of pancakes, we all rolled out further north of Houston towards Coldsprings. This race has always been one of my favorites; it holds a place in my heart as the origin of my first big road win. We rolled up to the start line knowing that we were one of the biggest teams at the race, and that we should be very attentive to get as many people in the breaks as possible.

 

The race rolled out quite quickly, and the entire team was doing a proper job of following wheels. Somewhere during the second to last lap, a break containing David, Ian, and I rolled off the front. Steven bridged up Han style, and hit the gas over the top of the finish climb, building a sizable gap. This prompted Houston’s finest, Kevin Kremke to shoot out of the field, with Phil and a few other riders also in hot pursuit. This part of the race course was littered with follow cars and riders from multiple fields causing the field to hesitate in its chase. The break was able to solidify a race winning gap. Super Squadra battled Kremke up the final climb, with Kremke taking the win over Steven, who produced a solid sprint to contend with one of Texas’ fastest and nicest racers. Phil rolled in for 3rd with Peter Carey putting a solid ride for 4th.

After the race, we took the dreaded ride back to the car lot where we cleaned off, and Phil changed into his Houston approved outfit and underwear. The team sans myself headed off to Houston’s famed Saint Arnolds Brewery, where they consumed unhealthy amounts of root beer in order to prepare for our next day in Candyland.

 

The Sugarland Criterium is a very young race. However due to fantastic racing and a victory here last year via David Wenger, it was a race we came into with high ambitions. During the first five laps of the race, a break containing all 5 members of the team, and about 6 other riders formed creating the break of the day. The team worked hard to collect primes and wear down the other riders in the break. However, around 45 minutes into the race after going for a prime, I found myself out of the break with Steven, Phil, and a few other riders also soon coming out the back of the move. This left just David, Ian, Kremke, Ronnie Strange, Peter Carey, and Crosby up in the winning move. In the end, Strange took a solid win in front of a wonderful crowd, with Kremke coming in second, David taking third, and Ian sixth. We were a bit disappointed with the results, because at one point we had nearly half the riders in the break. However, congrats to Houston riders Strange and Kremke for showing us “what was up Houston”. With a Houston Grand rematch only a fortnight away, we look forward to having another go in the Bayou City.

 

Special shout out to pro rider Ben Swift (Swifty) who will be riding the Giro in just a few days. He has been both mine and Lawson’s favorite rider since the time he beat up on Lawson and I many years ago in rainy Wales. Lawson and I wish you the best of luck!