Two to go racers, two to go
My flight controls says we’re flying 467 mph over Reno, Nevada right now, so what better way to pass the time than to type up a crit series update. This time tomorrow we’ll have corked a few thousands bottles of wine, I will have sampled greatly, and we’ll be ready for a celebratory feast. After three months on the wagon yours truly is looking forward to grapes I can drink instead of chew! More about wine bottling later…..
We are hitting the final stretch and about to crown the 2008 champions of the NashvilleCyclist.com Criterium Series. Nine down, two to go.
Even though the Dog Days of Summer will be burning the acid in everybody’s legs there will be no rest for the weary. Here’s how we see it; to win an overall series one has to consistently show up and deliver the goods! Motivation is tough in mid-August when the heat is rising from the blacktop, but the last thing any potential champion should discuss are future excuses for not taking home the championship title belt.
There is a serious battle brewing and boiling over within each of the categories. What appeared to be sure locks on the podium a few weeks ago has now turned into a serious fight. Our prediction is it will come down to the final race; possibly even the final turn. If that uncertainty doesn’t get your competitive juices flowing and your heart rate accelerated then you’re in the wrong sport. Just imagine, do you want to be the one who hosts the party to show off your title belt or the one who has to accept visitation rights? Enough said.
Let’s dissect the overall and put it into terms we all can understand:
Women
Kailin Acheson and Lisa Starmer, teammates on Reliant Bank/Harpeth Bicycles, are in control of the top two spots. Acheson leads by 25 points over Starmer while Olga Weeks of Velo Bella is behind Starmer by only 10 points. Weeks is unable to claim the top spot but can certainly displace Starmer enough in the last two weeks to end in second. However, Velo Vixens racer Beth Travers has had a strong run of late and sits just 12 points out of second spot herself. As if that weren’t enough competition; there’s Marsha White of MedPlan/TriStar just 20 points from Starmer and 10 points from Weeks in third. Every week this small handful of ladies have consistently been the ones who are sprinting for the win
Weeks, Travers and White not only have to compete against one another but also figure out a way to outfox Starmer and Acheson. So far Starmer and Acheson have been the one-two punch that’s won all the races except for two thus far (Weeks won both). This means one or all have to take more risks and apply pressure on the leaders. Be willing to lose in order to win. Lastly, it’s still quite possible for Starmer to end up the champion if she’s victorious, but our guess is only if Acheson’s car breaks down far away from LP Field two weeks in a row. Otherwise Acheson should finish off strong enough to hold the top spot.
Category 5
Just when it looked like Josh Webb of Gran Fondo had a stranglehold on first place along comes a young kid by the name of Tanner Hurst to spoil the party. Hurst of Team Biker’s Choice has won the last two races, and demonstrated this last week he’s not afraid to go on offensive less than 1k from the line. It’s mathematically possible for Hurst to pull out the overall spot, but it will require a big slip in performance from Webb. Another factor affecting overall are potetential upgrades to Category 4 soon, which we understand to be a possibility for both. Alan Smith is sitting comfortably in third place with a safe lead that may have him end up in second overall, but it will require some uncharacteristic weakness to show from Webb or Hurst.
One aspect to consider that plays to Hurst’s advantage is team tactics. Hurst usually has a couple of teammates to help attack and beat up the field while Webb is a one man wreaking crew. Well timed attacks can isolate Webb and provide Hurst the opportunity to solo away; which would then give other finishers the opportunity to displace Webb in the results. We realize most times that Category 5 racers just go and let it all hang out, but a little bit of team strategy can make a world of difference at that level.
We have to say it’s an awesome sight to see when a young kid flies out of the gate the way Hurst does. The week prior it was just as exciting to see a determined Max Gander of TriStar outsprint teammate Jeff Frazier for seventh place! Gander just pipped him at the line after giving it everything for the last 150 meters. Our sport is in need of more young kids eager to commit and compete. Not only that, but it’s up to us older folks to cheer, encourage and pave the path for our juniors to blossom into the future.
Category 4
Jason Shields of Cumberland Transit is looking to become the first repeat champion while also doing it in two separate categories. Moving up in categories and still winning shows a certain level of class that many riders don’t possess. Shields won the “C” title in 2007 and is on his way to the Category 4 belt in 2008, but there’s a potential obstacle in his path – Todd Huber of SVMIC. For the last four weeks these two guys have swapped victories back and forth, and with Huber’s latest win it has catapulted him into second place just 32 points from the title. A victory is worth 16 points, so with two races to go you can do the math. If these two go head-to-head they’re almost assured to both place high in the final races, but there’s one more rider we imagine has something to say about it.
Ben Reed of KCV Cycling Club sits with 45 points total and unable to win overall, but he sure can place highly enough for the glamour of second. A couple of other notables are William Sherman of Reliant Bank/Harpeth Bicycles and Jeremy Nagoshiner of Cumberland Transit. Both have an outside mathematical shot at the podium, but it will require great rides from them and not-so-great rides from the current leaders. If we go by history it’s not likely to happen two weeks in a row, but anything is possible.
Our assessment of the Category 4 field is that it has been some of the most competitive racing all series. If you look at the results there is more parity in that field as more riders are capable of top placings. There have been fewer breakaways and more field sprints in this category as well.
Category 1/2/3
This category is turning into a battle royale between Luke Servedio of Krystal/SCV and Alejandro Padilla of NashvilleCyclist.com pb Bike Pedlar. These two wattage busters have swapped attacks and counter attacks so many times one can’t keep up, and through it all have absolutely proven to be the two strongest riders in the pack. Aside from these two guys nobody else has won any of the nine races. Both have contributed to the mathematical mockery a little as Servedio has missed two races while Padilla has missed three. Though, if one’s not there the other surely will be, which has kept both at the top and likely where they’ll end up. Padilla is just 16 points away from tying Servedio.
Servedio, like Jason Shields, is attempting to become the Category 1/2/3 title belt wearer for the second year in a row. It’s one thing to be the strongest rider and everybody know it, but it’s another thing to be able to show up and prove it two years in a row. It would be an accomplishment worthy of anyone’s notice. Especially since in Padilla’s absence the NashvilleCyclist.com team threw everything but the kitchen sink at Servedio, yet he still proved no match in the end by winning all three races. Displacing Servedio is an abnormality rarely seen as during the May 28th event, and we chalk that up to early season legs. While NashvilleCyclist.com will surely do all they can to propel Padilla to victory while isolating Servedio we say it’s a sucker’s bet. These two will battle out the last two victory opportunities and the points will end up where they end up.
Rounding out the Category 1/2/3 podium appears to be Jason Guzak of NashvilleCyclist.com, but nipping at his heels is teammate Patrick Harkins. With a new addition to the Guzak family on the short horizon it could mean missed races and a springboard for Harkins. Either way they’re keeping it in the NC.com family. Don’t count out Krystal/SCV rider Senior’ Travis Werts either. At the end of the day it’s important to note that Krystal/SCV and NashvilleCyclist.com combine to make up the first seven spots overall.
Having raced each of the Category 1/2/3 races I can attest to their brutality in attacks, speed and intensity. As we are wrapping up our fourth season of summer criteriums it is literally painfully obvious to me that racers in the Nashville community have gotten stronger. The quality of each category’s racing has risen greatly. Cat 5s are becoming Cat 4s; Cat 4s are becoming Cat 3s, and Cat 3s are becoming Cat 2s. All the while everybody’s ability to corner at speed, ability to recover after attacks, ability to sniff out the winning break, and downright strength overall has improved dramatically since our first race in the summer of 2005.
Our annual race series is better preparing us all to go beyond the city limits of Nashville to compete at higher levels regionally and nationally. More of us are accomplishing our cycling goals and pushing ourselves to strive higher. This is what competition is all about. Challenging ourselves to become the best we can become.
Ride on. Two to go.
We are hitting the final stretch and about to crown the 2008 champions of the NashvilleCyclist.com Criterium Series. Nine down, two to go.
Even though the Dog Days of Summer will be burning the acid in everybody’s legs there will be no rest for the weary. Here’s how we see it; to win an overall series one has to consistently show up and deliver the goods! Motivation is tough in mid-August when the heat is rising from the blacktop, but the last thing any potential champion should discuss are future excuses for not taking home the championship title belt.
There is a serious battle brewing and boiling over within each of the categories. What appeared to be sure locks on the podium a few weeks ago has now turned into a serious fight. Our prediction is it will come down to the final race; possibly even the final turn. If that uncertainty doesn’t get your competitive juices flowing and your heart rate accelerated then you’re in the wrong sport. Just imagine, do you want to be the one who hosts the party to show off your title belt or the one who has to accept visitation rights? Enough said.
Let’s dissect the overall and put it into terms we all can understand:
Women
Kailin Acheson and Lisa Starmer, teammates on Reliant Bank/Harpeth Bicycles, are in control of the top two spots. Acheson leads by 25 points over Starmer while Olga Weeks of Velo Bella is behind Starmer by only 10 points. Weeks is unable to claim the top spot but can certainly displace Starmer enough in the last two weeks to end in second. However, Velo Vixens racer Beth Travers has had a strong run of late and sits just 12 points out of second spot herself. As if that weren’t enough competition; there’s Marsha White of MedPlan/TriStar just 20 points from Starmer and 10 points from Weeks in third. Every week this small handful of ladies have consistently been the ones who are sprinting for the win
Weeks, Travers and White not only have to compete against one another but also figure out a way to outfox Starmer and Acheson. So far Starmer and Acheson have been the one-two punch that’s won all the races except for two thus far (Weeks won both). This means one or all have to take more risks and apply pressure on the leaders. Be willing to lose in order to win. Lastly, it’s still quite possible for Starmer to end up the champion if she’s victorious, but our guess is only if Acheson’s car breaks down far away from LP Field two weeks in a row. Otherwise Acheson should finish off strong enough to hold the top spot.
Category 5
Just when it looked like Josh Webb of Gran Fondo had a stranglehold on first place along comes a young kid by the name of Tanner Hurst to spoil the party. Hurst of Team Biker’s Choice has won the last two races, and demonstrated this last week he’s not afraid to go on offensive less than 1k from the line. It’s mathematically possible for Hurst to pull out the overall spot, but it will require a big slip in performance from Webb. Another factor affecting overall are potetential upgrades to Category 4 soon, which we understand to be a possibility for both. Alan Smith is sitting comfortably in third place with a safe lead that may have him end up in second overall, but it will require some uncharacteristic weakness to show from Webb or Hurst.
One aspect to consider that plays to Hurst’s advantage is team tactics. Hurst usually has a couple of teammates to help attack and beat up the field while Webb is a one man wreaking crew. Well timed attacks can isolate Webb and provide Hurst the opportunity to solo away; which would then give other finishers the opportunity to displace Webb in the results. We realize most times that Category 5 racers just go and let it all hang out, but a little bit of team strategy can make a world of difference at that level.
We have to say it’s an awesome sight to see when a young kid flies out of the gate the way Hurst does. The week prior it was just as exciting to see a determined Max Gander of TriStar outsprint teammate Jeff Frazier for seventh place! Gander just pipped him at the line after giving it everything for the last 150 meters. Our sport is in need of more young kids eager to commit and compete. Not only that, but it’s up to us older folks to cheer, encourage and pave the path for our juniors to blossom into the future.
Category 4
Jason Shields of Cumberland Transit is looking to become the first repeat champion while also doing it in two separate categories. Moving up in categories and still winning shows a certain level of class that many riders don’t possess. Shields won the “C” title in 2007 and is on his way to the Category 4 belt in 2008, but there’s a potential obstacle in his path – Todd Huber of SVMIC. For the last four weeks these two guys have swapped victories back and forth, and with Huber’s latest win it has catapulted him into second place just 32 points from the title. A victory is worth 16 points, so with two races to go you can do the math. If these two go head-to-head they’re almost assured to both place high in the final races, but there’s one more rider we imagine has something to say about it.
Ben Reed of KCV Cycling Club sits with 45 points total and unable to win overall, but he sure can place highly enough for the glamour of second. A couple of other notables are William Sherman of Reliant Bank/Harpeth Bicycles and Jeremy Nagoshiner of Cumberland Transit. Both have an outside mathematical shot at the podium, but it will require great rides from them and not-so-great rides from the current leaders. If we go by history it’s not likely to happen two weeks in a row, but anything is possible.
Our assessment of the Category 4 field is that it has been some of the most competitive racing all series. If you look at the results there is more parity in that field as more riders are capable of top placings. There have been fewer breakaways and more field sprints in this category as well.
Category 1/2/3
This category is turning into a battle royale between Luke Servedio of Krystal/SCV and Alejandro Padilla of NashvilleCyclist.com pb Bike Pedlar. These two wattage busters have swapped attacks and counter attacks so many times one can’t keep up, and through it all have absolutely proven to be the two strongest riders in the pack. Aside from these two guys nobody else has won any of the nine races. Both have contributed to the mathematical mockery a little as Servedio has missed two races while Padilla has missed three. Though, if one’s not there the other surely will be, which has kept both at the top and likely where they’ll end up. Padilla is just 16 points away from tying Servedio.
Servedio, like Jason Shields, is attempting to become the Category 1/2/3 title belt wearer for the second year in a row. It’s one thing to be the strongest rider and everybody know it, but it’s another thing to be able to show up and prove it two years in a row. It would be an accomplishment worthy of anyone’s notice. Especially since in Padilla’s absence the NashvilleCyclist.com team threw everything but the kitchen sink at Servedio, yet he still proved no match in the end by winning all three races. Displacing Servedio is an abnormality rarely seen as during the May 28th event, and we chalk that up to early season legs. While NashvilleCyclist.com will surely do all they can to propel Padilla to victory while isolating Servedio we say it’s a sucker’s bet. These two will battle out the last two victory opportunities and the points will end up where they end up.
Rounding out the Category 1/2/3 podium appears to be Jason Guzak of NashvilleCyclist.com, but nipping at his heels is teammate Patrick Harkins. With a new addition to the Guzak family on the short horizon it could mean missed races and a springboard for Harkins. Either way they’re keeping it in the NC.com family. Don’t count out Krystal/SCV rider Senior’ Travis Werts either. At the end of the day it’s important to note that Krystal/SCV and NashvilleCyclist.com combine to make up the first seven spots overall.
Having raced each of the Category 1/2/3 races I can attest to their brutality in attacks, speed and intensity. As we are wrapping up our fourth season of summer criteriums it is literally painfully obvious to me that racers in the Nashville community have gotten stronger. The quality of each category’s racing has risen greatly. Cat 5s are becoming Cat 4s; Cat 4s are becoming Cat 3s, and Cat 3s are becoming Cat 2s. All the while everybody’s ability to corner at speed, ability to recover after attacks, ability to sniff out the winning break, and downright strength overall has improved dramatically since our first race in the summer of 2005.
Our annual race series is better preparing us all to go beyond the city limits of Nashville to compete at higher levels regionally and nationally. More of us are accomplishing our cycling goals and pushing ourselves to strive higher. This is what competition is all about. Challenging ourselves to become the best we can become.
Ride on. Two to go.
Crit Series 2008 - By the numbers
631 – total entries after nine races (647 in 2007)
75 – different riders have competed Category 5
50 – different riders have competed Category 4
50 – different riders have competed Category 4
46 – different riders have competed Category 1/2/3
18 – different riders have competed in Women
posted by NashvilleCyclist.com at 8/09/2008 01:20:00 AM
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