The first road race of the year was held last weekend with the annual Roubaix. For 2011 local promoter Chris Grealish of DBC Events moved the course from Boulder to the more rural location of Mead, to give the old course a rest for a year. Not a bad idea at all, but our team definitely likes the Boulder course more.
45 Plus race report from Jeff Ofsanko: This past weekend was the now infamous and notorious Mead Roubaix, a 3 lap/60 mile race created in the spirit of France’s Paris-Roubaix road race. Whereas riders in the French event have to negotiate numerous sectors of old cobblestone roads, the Mead version incorporated multiple sections of dirt roads within the race’s 3 twenty mile loops. However, unlike most dirt roads in Boulder County (which are often as firm as your average highway), Mead’s back roads were littered with super-soft, barely ride-able dirt sections which became know as the “sandtraps.” Oh and rumor has it that there was a pretty good breeze blowing that day! Anyway, the day’s events were marked by several crashes and riders hiking their bikes through the sand traps.
45 Plus race report from Jeff Ofsanko: This past weekend was the now infamous and notorious Mead Roubaix, a 3 lap/60 mile race created in the spirit of France’s Paris-Roubaix road race. Whereas riders in the French event have to negotiate numerous sectors of old cobblestone roads, the Mead version incorporated multiple sections of dirt roads within the race’s 3 twenty mile loops. However, unlike most dirt roads in Boulder County (which are often as firm as your average highway), Mead’s back roads were littered with super-soft, barely ride-able dirt sections which became know as the “sandtraps.” Oh and rumor has it that there was a pretty good breeze blowing that day! Anyway, the day’s events were marked by several crashes and riders hiking their bikes through the sand traps.
True to form, the sand traps wasted no time claiming their 45+ victims. And while the Mix 1 crew managed to avoid the first round of crashes, Henrik Pederson got held up behind a crash around 8 miles into the event and never regained the sharp end of the race. Matt V, Peter I, and Jeff managed to escape the first lap mayhem, with Jeff even getting established in an early 4 man breakaway. Jeff’s group was reeled in as the field started the 2nd of the 3 twenty mile loops and now Jeff, Peter, and Matt were present in a 12 or so rider move.
Once the group hit the next section of sand traps (about halfway through the race) the definitive selections occurred. Vitamin Cottage’s Rod Yoder and Echelon Energy’s Dwight Hall escaped the group with Jeff, Peter and 3 others (Bruce Hodkins, Dennis Farrell and Karl Kiester) chasing. Yoder and Hall were on fire and weren’t seen again until the finish line. Jeff lost contact with his chase group with about 10 miles left to in the race and managed to hold off all but one rider from behind for an 8th place finish. With 4 miles to go Peter and Karl from Great Divide lost contact with the chase group. Peter managed to out sprint Karl at the finish and placed 5th. Matt flatted in one of the sand traps but managed a 14th place finish in spite of having to change a tube (strong work Matt) while Henrik placed 17th.
With one podium and 4 top fives in the first two BAR/BAT races of the year, the 45ers now turn their attention towards the Haystack Individual and Team Time Trials in search of the squad’s first victory for the season. Great start to the season team and best of luck at Haystack!
Peter on the left and Jeff in the center on the photo, the first time into the sandy downhill.
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