25th Annual Wente Vineyards Classic -

25th Annual Wente Vineyards Classic

3May2012 Filed under: General Author: delta

Wente Vineyards Classic
Livermore, CA
April 29, 2012
Criterium

Under mild temps in the 80’s with a light breeze that picked up, the Wente Crit lived up to it’s reputation of a sketchy course w/ lot’s of speed, fast action, crazy moves and a lot more…

“Sunday morning I woke up and my legs felt like garbage. they were sore and within the first lap I could tell I wasn’t going to have the burst that I usually have…the plan going in was for Trevor to sit on my wheel and I’d take care of him and see if we couldn’t get some upgrade points for him. so knowing I was working for him I would chase and sit on any attack off the front…well maybe half the attacks.

The last lap of the race two guys went for a break right in front of me so I stuck to their wheels and came around the last turn with them. Luckily for me nobody slowed up waiting for somebody else to do the work, so with my position I easily jumped outside and sprinted around a handful of riders and took the win. it’s crazy how on the days you least expect to win, you end up pulling it out.”
-Brandon Borth
Mens Cat 3

“…Early in the race I had a weird feeling that I was going to get caught up in a crash. Riders were all over the place and were having a good time cursing at each other. Twelve minutes in it happens, about 15 riders from the front someone decides to stand up and attack from the middle of the field. He clips a wheel and goes down, taking a number of riders with him. I narrowly avoided the pileup, but stuffed my pedal into someone’s ribs and almost went over the bars. A neutral lap came after the crash followed by a complete reset of the race. The next 45 minutes I didn’t feel safe, but did what I needed to do to stay towards the front. Coming into the final lap I was two wheels back from Brandon, but several of us ended up getting pushed by a large rider in the middle of the field. I went back 10 wheels and wasn’t able to make up enough ground in time for the sprint. Finished 20th.”
-Trevor Gomes
Mens Cat 3

Thrilled to start my first flat Crit this year! Whistle blows, I clip in, take 3 pedal strokes, and 2 riders are off the front. One rider was from Lange Twin Winery, David Albrecht, whose team was well represented. I went through turn 1 and punched it, got clear and bridged up. We went a few laps together and the 3rd rider was in trouble. He was struggling to stay on after pulls, then skipped a pull. After I took a pull on the backside, I rotated through, and it was just me and David.

We kept a steady pace and worked together pretty well. I thought we were screwed, but we kept pounding away. We agreed to split primes. We kept motoring along keeping a pretty steady gap of 30 to 50 seconds. Every lap going through the final turn I would check on the gap to the group and could just see them. Halfway through and still holding and finally settling in to a rhythm. 3/4 in and our pace was dropping slightly, it got me worried, but the gap was still holding.

The lap cards come out which was the biggest relief. We come through he final turn with 4 to go, I check on the main group, and for the first time, they were nowhere to be seen. And for the first time, I had no doubt we were sticking this. Now to plan the end game. Final lap, David had been taking pulls into turn 4 and was struggling in the headwind. Between the turn and the slower speed, I decided that was my place to dump him. It was a long way out, but I felt good about it. Just before the turn I created a little space to to wind it up and pass him with speed. I jumped, gapped him off, and drilled it. I checked under my shoulder and was holding the gap and maintaining speed. With about 300 to go, he was crawling back. David got back on my wheel with 200 to go and came around. I was back on his wheel and tried to jump again. Oops, nothing. Game over. 2nd place. Still pretty happy with the result. A 50 minute breakaway is just great fun and great suffering...
-Doug Hall
Mens Cat 1,2,3

“…bike’s knicked up, but I think ok. I’m sore, dent in the helmet some good road rash. We were going 28mph. Two guys ahead got squirely and swerved. Guy in front of me swerved and took my front wheel out instantly! Then I got ran over by Doug Hall and almost Josh…”
– Mike Ricks
Mens 1,2