Race Reports

This last weekend there were two races to finish out the road racing season here in Kansas. 

On Saturday Revolution Racing hosted the Junction City Challenge at Milford Lake in Junction City, KS. It was a circuit road race with a 8 1/2 mile loop. In the Cat 5 race we did 2 laps. It was a great rolling hill course with a half mile long steady climb to the finish that had a false flat about 300 meters from the finish. 

I (Jeff McCool) was our lone Team Velo Plus racer in JC. The field was good size with about 18 riders and a few teams represented including a couple of riders from Oklahoma. The pace was good and for the most part everyone was rotating thru to share in the work load for the first lap. Jeff put in a surge to pick up the pace after a couple miles in to break up the group some but only a couple came off the back. As the group approached the hill to finish the first lap a couple riders went off the front which tested riders. The 2nd lap was steady until the hill Grip n Rip had 4 riders in the race and were using team tactics to get to the front of the race. Everyone moved to the left of the road and allowed me to move up the right side and sprint in for a 3rd place finish by just a couple of inches. 

Sunday brought the Kansas State Road Race at the Rolling Hills Zoo in Salina. Aaron Niehouse joined me for this race. We had 1 lap of 36 miles for the Cat 5, We had a field of 11 riders in which 2 were popped off the back within the first 6 miles. The pace was steady with Jay Livingston surging up most of the hills. Unfortunately the group wasn't working well together to rotate in sharing the work load so the pace slowed mid race. With about 16 miles to go Jay who was the strongest rider in the field went off the front for a solo victory. No one chased since the group wasn't working together. The group almost missed the last turn and I had to chase back on the group. I was looking for Aaron but come to find out he had been fighting some cramps for a few miles and had dropped off the lead group. The final 12 miles would be into a good head wind and everyone was looking for shelter. 2 guys were doing the majority of the work. With about 6 miles to go someone did a brake check and i was in the ditch to not crash. Everyone was ok but again I was having to chase to get back on with the group. WHen the wheel vehicle passes you it is not a good feeling. I chased and was able to get back in the group to recover for a short time getting ready for the finishing sprint. With just under a mile to go a guy went up the right side and broke away. I jump and was chasing him down. Unfortunately another rider jumped my wheel and as we the rider he passed us both to take 2nd place. The finish is uphill and my legs began to cramp and didn't have enough left to finish passing and settled for 4th place in the race and a 3rd place finish for KS state championships. 

Aaron came in about 9th after fighting thru some cramps. He hasn't been able to train like he wanted to in recent 

Overall it was a great weekend of racing. I was happy with results especially with two days of racing. This is the nod of the road racing season so on to cyclocross in the fall. 

Jeff McCool