BROOKLYN  VELO  FORCE
Kissena Prospect Park Series
June 26, 2005

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Race Report by Norman Lu Great turn-out by BVF, in the Cat 4 field: Pete, Seth, Mark L., Joel, Scott, and myself. I counted 61 people in the field, since Pete was the last one to register. They cut the race down to 9 laps and we start out the first three laps pretty fast...caught the masters after lap two. By mid-race no one is able to establish a significant break, nor even a good gap. I stayed toward the front for most of the first half and I see groups of twos and threes trying to get away, but I notice no Metros are in them. They didn't do any work to pull anyone back, but I figured they would not let anyone get very far. Scott and Pete were particularly aggressive during the race...I see them going off the front numerous times, then to the back of the pack, then zipping by me to get to the front again. By mid-race, the pace kinda cools off for a couple of laps, as no serious breaks get very far ahead. With 3 to go there is a $30 prime, I'm focused on Carlos/Metro's wheel, when Scott says he'll lead me out...but this is like a good kilo from the line. He puts in a good effort, but I know he won't have enough to get me into position and I'll have to grab another wheel. I had to come around him and couldn't grab a good wheel, so I kinda of shut it down, because as Seth warned me, a counter would most certainly come after the prime. No counters, but with one to go, Pete and Peter/Metro get a pretty good gap on the backside. But they get reeled in, as it would have been pretty hard to stay away with fresh legs in the pack. For the whole last lap, I'm glued to Carlos/Metro's wheel. I pass Seth on the down hill and he offers a leadout, but I'm so zoned in to Carlos' wheel, I decline. By the skating rink I'm still on Carlos' wheel and at the front...perfect. But the pace is kinda slow and no one is pulling the trigger, so the surge on both sides squeezes us in and Carlos is able to accelerate just enough through a small space....I get trapped by a Merryl Lynch guy and lose his wheel. As the sprint finally starts, Carlos already has two bike lengths on me and I finish behind Yuri, Carlos, and Peter/Metro. Seth finishes just behind me in 10th. I'm pretty happy with the result considering who finished ahead of me. But it was not my best sprint and I definitely had more in the tank. It's the first time all year I felt that I could have challenged for the win. Winning is so hard. Alas, the stars have to align perfectly for me to beat these guys.

Norm	Seth
Pete	Scott

photos by Andy Shen
and posted at  Merrill Lynch Cycling Team and nyvelocity.com

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