2015-09-06 State Criterium Championships Race Report by Chris Morris

Today was awesome, Folsom Bike was represented by Ted Toribio, Marty Cunningham and me.

I personally look forward to This race every season. It is a chance to race against the best Racers in our age group and it is a fast non-technical course where anything can happen. It is about a 3/4 mile course with great pavement and smooth turns. Last year Dan Shore rode off the front with 2 to go to win and this year what looked to be a bunch sprint turned into a couple of splits in the last lap that looked like they where not going to be reeled in.

Throughout the race a couple of racers, Ed Moon (no team) and Hans Gouwens (Thirsty Bear) were trying very hard to get away only to be pulled back to the group, but one or the other would launch solo attacks almost immediately. Ted was on the front covering every move, I was trying for once not to spend too much time on the front and was sitting middle of the pack with Marty. About half way through the race, some of the more seasoned racers started the attacks with Michael O’Rourke (Chronos) Eric Saltzman and Jerome Nadel (Coretech) instigating the moves! Marty, Ted and me were always there to cover. This group kept on the gas for a couple of attempts and when they realized they were not going to get a good enough split they fell back in place. This is when Hans Gouwens ( Thirsty Bear) countered, he was off the front solo with a solid move and Marty made a serious dig to bridge, no one followed! Marty was awesome ( after riding 8 hours cross the day before), he was away for about 5 or 6 laps, Ted and I got to take a ride. After Marty and Hans were caught things settled in for what was looking like a pack sprint with about 5 to go. We rode this out until 2 to go when just after turn 2 Dan Shore tries to catch people sleeping, he launches a hard attack and only one racer can hold his wheel, they are gone. Coming through the final lap, Andrew Nevitt (National Champion) takes a huge dig to try to bring Dan Shore back! I see the move and dig to get to him I takes me until just before turn 3 for me to catch him and Andrew to catch Dan. By then we have things strung out and Jerome Nadel starts his sprint. It felt way too early, but it worked, the group strung out and Ted and I were able to hang on for 7 and 8. Jerome won the race with that move.

Oh and somewhere along the way, I ended up getting into split with a big dude (kit I did not recognize) and Max Mack. We take the split through turn 3 and Max is in front of me with the big dude pulling to the final turn. Max is smoked, he does not realize I am there and tells the guy “I won’t take a sprint, you can have the Preem, well I did not agree with that so I launched and took it with a pretty good gap. I mean, a bottle of good wine is worth working for, am I right?

Great to have great Teammates that are old enough to race the Super Seniors together!