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June 23 - Pacific State Bank Grand Prix
Race info
Results
Photography:
Steven Woo, Easton/Specialized/Los Gatos Bicycle Racing Club
Scott Lee, Team City
Video:
Damian Gonzalez, XPMultimedia.com, Pacific State Bank/Anderson Homes Racing Team
Promo video by Damian Gonzalez, XPMultimedia.com, Pacific State Bank/Anderson Homes Racing Team
Reports:
John Fritz, Pacific State Bank/Anderson Homes Racing Team
Carola Berger, Webcor / Alto Velo
Keith David Szolusha, Pacific State Bank/Anderson Homes Racing Team
Report by John Fritz, Pacific State Bank/Anderson Homes Racing Team
DATE: June 23
First, thanks to Ed and all the others who helped make this race very professional.
Elite 3 race report:
For most of the race the pace was kept up pretty good. The first
corner had a real bad bump in the pavement, which moved my bars three
times making me have to get real smooth entering it. The final corner
during the early races had some water on the inside line, which made
things a little sketchy a times. Other than that, I really liked the
course. Unfortunately, I am not sure if it was because I didn't sleep
the night before or I just wasn't warmed up enough, but I never felt
strong.
Positions at the front were exchanged quickly, and I found myself
losing my position. In the final lap, I saw my teammates ahead of me
but was blocked from getting out of the pack to join them. In the
final sprint, again after being blocked, I was able to pass a few
people to get 18th.
Master 35+ 1,2,3 race report:
This was my first Masters race. Wow, what a difference from the Elite
3's! Everything was faster! It seemed the morning race had warmed my
legs for this one. The field was smaller, but I was able to hold my
position much better in this race. We were basically chasing a solo
pro whose name I can't remember (possibly a Sierra Nevada rider) for
probably three quarters of the race. During this solo attack, Rob
Nichols and Andres made several efforts to bridge it, but the pack was
not into letting anyone else go too far. During their efforts I did
try to block up front, but the pack quickly rode around me.
I was able to hold my position fairly well throughout the pack.
Obviously, the size does matter in this circumstance. The pace was
pretty high throughout the race. There were only a couple times when I
could feel it slow for just a brief second and then boom off go the
attacks again. Other than that, the race went very smoothly and
uneventfully.
I am not sure if I got a second wind, but I felt a little tiring in
the front before the final corner, so I moved up and kept in the top ten
position for the final corner. It was extremely fast and smooth going
into the corner. However, I could not jump up to Andres, so I kept
where I was and passed a few riders to place 9th.
John Fritz
Report by
Carola Berger, Webcor / Alto Velo
STARDATE: June 23
Race Team Greenterprise -- Episode 1: Stok-Tonian Circles
=========================================================
Race, the final frontier. These are the voyages of the Race Team
Greenterprise. Its continuing mission: to explore strange new towns; to
seek out new races and new competition; to boldly go where no Alto Velo
woman has gone before (in 2007).
The crew:
Veteran Admiral Linda El Gart
Captain Erin D. Dunn
Master Weaponrist Ileana "the torpedo" Garcia-Parker
Chief Engineer Peggy "render more gas" Prendergast
Science Officer and Suicide Mission Specialist K'rol, the Borger
("resistance is futile")
Ground crew support:
Chief of Stuff Bob Parker
Communication Specialist John El Gart
Science officer's log, stardate 6-23-07-14-10:
We are on an away mission in the metropolis of Stok-Ton, participating
in a strange sort of game that humans apparently find entertaining. Our
task is to pilot our vessels around the center of Stok-Ton in circles as
fast as possible, without overloading our Webcor engines. The Race Team
Greenterprise has 5 participants, notable competitors include several
LosGatonians and the Blue Spots from Metro Mint, as well as inhabitants
of planets TIBCO, Dolce Vita, and the home crew of the Pacific State.
This is my first participation in this so-called "criterium" in 11
months, so I must focus all my strength to make up for the lack of
practise. It is therefore logical that I spend the first couple of
circles behind the other vessels to scout their strengths and weaknesses.
Science officer's log, stardate 6-23-07-14-20:
The "criterium" has been going on for 10 minutes 23 seconds 12
milliseconds, without notable incidents, some vessels maneuvering
slightly ahead of the others with their afterburners. I must stay alert
and keep my afterburners ready for the jump to warp speed to follow
potential enemy vessels. Now increasing impulse speed to move ahead of
the slowest vessels to prepare for this event that will occur with
99.983% probability.
Science officer's log, stardate 6-23-07-14-22:
Some Dolce Vitonian and an unknown vessel jumped to warp speed. I have
been trying to stay with them for several minutes now, but the Webcor
reactor displays signs of system failure, there seems to be a problem
with the coolant. The logical course of action is to drop out of warp
back to the main field of vessels to avoid a Webcor breach. There is
only a 0.00023% probability that the rest of the crew experiences the
same engine flaw. Perhaps my new bionic implants are interfering with
the cooling system.
Science officer's log, stardate 6-23-07-14-35:
The vessels of the rest of the Race Team Greenterprise seem to be
unaffected by the engine flaw I experienced. Admiral El Gart, Captain
Dunn, and Chief Engineer Peggy have everything under control. "The
torpedo" is resting for the final attack, just as planned. However, the
Race Team Greenterprise has not yet been able to obtain what is called a
"prime". This is a curious mid-game event, where a high-pitched sound is
dispatched, and the vessel that crosses the finish line first during the
next circle is awarded a highly regarded prize. Meanwhile, I managed to
control the overheating of the Webcor engine by infusing Cytomax into
the main reactor. It is time for another engine-test, and perhaps
obtain the next "prime". Also, the rest of the crew is working at 110%
efficiency, I cannot do any less.
Science officer's log, stardate 6-23-07-14-50:
The previous engine-test has been 50% successful. My Webcor field is
stable, however, after spending over one full circle alone ahead of the
field of other vessels, my vessel got overtaken by a Blue Spot just at
the line for the "prime" which thus fell into enemy hands. There were
various short-lived attacks, always with a Greenterprisian crew member.
I have computed that it is now time to execute the final maneuver.
It seems best to launch the vessel with the afterburners on a starboard
trajectory to get clear of the field. TIBCOnian Yu Ki Na Ka Mu Ra
launches to the right and joins me in this maneuver. Our engines work
flawlessly in overdrive, the Greenterprisian crew is patrolling the front of the field
to prevent other enemy vessels to join the attack.
Science officer's log, stardate 6-23-07-14-00:
We have now approached the final circle. Yu Ki has burned out her warp
engine on the backstretch and is barely hanging onto my Webcor field.
Red alert, I repeat, red alert. The other vessels are appearing in the
aft sensor array, all legs to battle stations! There is only a 0.0001%
probability that my vessel will be the first across the line and win the
acclaimed prize of Stok-Ton. But with 67.88% probability "the torpedo"
will be launched successfully by the remainder of the Greenterprisian
crew who are approaching Warp 5 according to ground communications
officer John El Gart. The remaining 32.1199% indicate that I must divert
all remaining power including life-support in an attempt to launch this
vessel across the line, although a Webcor breach is imminent. All legs
prepare for emergency procedures!
Science officer's log, stardate 6-23-07-14-14:
I was forced to abandon ship and use the escape pod because a Webcor
breach was unavoidable. As computed correctly, a torpedo was launched,
unfortunately it was LosGatonian. Mary Ellen Ash crossed the finish in
first place, my vessel exploded across the line to obtain the second
prize of Stok-Ton. The Greenterprisian torpedo could not be switched in
time from blocking to warp mode and crossed the line in fifth place,
closely followed by the chief engineer. Beam me up, Peggy!
Final mission log entry: Curious, how a completely illogical move seems
more effective than a highly logical maneuver in this sort of circuitous
gamble.
Ride long and prosper,
The Borger ;-)
Report by Keith David Soluza, Pacific State Bank/Anderson Homes Racing Team
DATE: June 23
Short version - super fun - before the race, during the race, and after the race.
90 minutes in the 85-90 degree heat?
p/1/2 field size - ~100 men (plus one Kim Anderson female from TMobile)
The 1/2 team showed up to get some visibility and cash! We attacked a bunch at the beginning to no avail. Andres kept himself in great position the entire race. Bob got himself up front and really tried getting away as the race wore on. A big crash that you can see on the video just grazed both me and Andres - whew we were lucky.
The 4 man break turned to three with the big pink jersey of TMobile included. It didn't set off alarms in the pack because there were 10 or more Strawberry guys and they were expected to chase it down. They would have had a bad day if they hadn't made it up there. The strong winds and big prize $$ was enough to keep any gaps from getting too big and we came down to a big field sprint. Dean Peters (unattached) slid out from about 6th spot in the final turn. That freaked a lot of riders, but didn't necessarily take anybody else down.
Vigus from Strawberry team took the strong sprint for 1st and the $2500 check. Job well done. Pacific State Bank Anderson Homes had three finishers in the top 20 money list for a good day - Newman 10th, Gil 12th, and I rolled in at 20th for the last spot in the money.
With the prizes being a whopping $10k for the finish and only 3 primes, breakaways were out there for a little while with little action in the race. Throw in some product primes throughout and there will be a little more action throughout.
Recommendations for next year include having the race at the same time again and having the VIP tent again. That was laid out really well. Many of the riders had a great time at the race. This was the most I have enjoyed a race for a while. A few more primes and lock in the date early and it will remain to be one of the best crits of the season in NorCal. Expect that a race this big will start bringing more talent each year and may have to branch to p/1 eventually with Cat. 2 separate. This year, p/1/2 was the correct call to make and the field was neat. Opening up turn 2 to 2 lanes with hay bails worked really well. Last year, it was too tight and the metal barriers were scarey. This year was really, really nice. If it grows - team limit of 8 riders. Check out McLane Grand Prix for their rules on this. I think they change every year.
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