Evanston Northwestern Healthcare Grand Prix

So...this was the race everyone in Chicago was excited about. For those of us who live in the city, this was a chance to to race on the very roads we start and finish 98% of every training ride. It was the first Superweek race to fill up (Cat 4 field limit of 75), although I understand several people on the waiting list got in.

As usual, being the first race of the day, we were delayed while the course preparations were completed. Tricia, Dean and Vanessa took this opportunity to show off their signs for Nate:

and me:

The cheering helps a lot! Everyone else probably thought they were a little off, though. Arnie was off doing his own thing, probably with 3 cameras at once. Ken was cheering 2 octaves lower than everyone else. Only dogs could hear him.

So anyways, the race finally got underway. I got a good start from around 3 rows back. It doesn't make much difference in a Cat 4 race where you start, because there are so many times that the pack bunches up and riders can move up, unlike Pro/1/2. Old habits die hard, and I always try to get a good spot.

Only 3-4 laps in, I was going into the Burger King Death Turn (turn 5) sitting 4th or 5th wheel. Usually this is a safe position, but whoever led into the corner overcooked it, and this was the result: (Photo by Luke Seemann)

A lot of guys crashed, I'd say 10 or so. Check out the dude hanging onto the fence! Ken happened to be right there, and asked if I was OK. I was, and headed to the pit. I'm a little wary of the SRAM neutral support after they missed my tire coming off it's bead Saturday in Waukesha, resulting in a blowout with 2-to-go and a DNF. My bike seemed OK, just needed the left shifter to be turned back. There were so many guys in the pit waiting to jump back in that they didn't hold us up, they just said, "Go!" So we did.

Judging by all the strawberry'd asses hanging out of shorts, I had it pretty good. I was able to get back to the front after 1 or 2 laps. Judging by some other race reports, we who crashed and took free laps were better off, as a massive gap opened for the guys who avoided going down and were rewarded with a hectic chase. I do have to note here that the officials have gotten better about pulling lapped riders, as I don't think I saw any today. 75 started, 42 finished, and I'm sure most of the withdraws weren't voluntary.

Soon after I got back up front, they started calling primes. The first was for a case of water. I chuckled, "water's free!" But I saw Jeff Wat (xXx Racing) shoot off the front. Jeff is a strong rider, so I went to the front and took my turn to keep the gap small. After Jeff took the prime, one of his teammates rode up to me and said something like, "settle down." Blocking I'm familiar with, but asking people to let stuff go? That's a new one. I could be wrong about his intent; I didn't ask him to clarify.

I kept near the front and they called another prime, this time for $25 cash. If I'm at the front and I can take a prime without too much effort, I will. In this case, I could tell Nathan Longley (Team Beans and Barley) was keying up to take it. He is the Superweek Men 4/5 overall leader , so I just stayed on his wheel and came around him before the line for the cash. It was a nice mid-race test..."do I feel good?" I did.

There were a few breakaway attempts, one or two of which I took part in, but breaks don't seem to stick in these Superweek 4/5 races. I think it is because the pace isn't consistently high, so there are plenty of guys with energy to burn when something dangerous goes up the road.

Late in the race a South Chicago Wheelman was super-pissed, I think at a xXx Racing rider. Hella-pissed. I'm not one to talk, as I'm usually the one running my mouth and yelling at people. I've decided to try to cut back on all that nonsense. It just makes you look like an asshole.

With 3- or 2-to-go the battle to stay at the front began. This is always a tense time in a Cat 4/5 race, because you never know when the pack will just shut down because no one wants to blow their chance at the sprint. This time however, I saw that Jeff Wat was doing a lot of work at the front.

This is great because it strings the pack out a bit, and makes the race safer in those final chaotic laps.

Somehow, I was able to stay at the front. I came out of the Burger King Corner of death and then the last corner, either 3rd or 4th wheel. I'm pretty sure this is a picture from one of the final corners, because my hands are in the drops. My hands are always on the hoods, unless I'm getting ready to sprint. Nathan Longley is the guy in yellow/red in the left of the picture.

He started the sprint once we were in the finishing straight. I followed his wheel. Unfortunately, I waited too long to jump out of his draft and start my sprint. I heard a clicking and was worried my chain wasn't dropping into the 11 from the 12. Looking back, I bet it was just the front derailleur cage rubbing. Oh well. Second place and a prime is the best finish I've had in...well...this century. My fitness is really coming around. I can't wait for the final Superweek races in Milwaukee.