Tallahassee Cycling Classic RR: 2-28-10

Tallahassee Road Race Report, February 28, 2010

Karel, Clint and Jeff headed out to Tallahassee on a cold Sunday morning to take part in a unique Road Race early in the Florida Racing Season. Having not been able to do the Criterium and Time Trial on Saturday the trio from team Lindner Capital Advisors figured that some fresh legs and not being in the chase for the overall GC could possibly make for a good day. The Pro,1,2 field was smaller than usual but was very top heavy with talent. Team Type 1, a domestic Pro Team was in town for a fund raiser and a little race training so that alone would make it interesting and probably very difficult.

The RR was a 7.5 mile loop in the rolling hills with a 1.7 mile dirt section each lap. With the race being 70+miles Team LCA figured we would take it easy for a few loops and read the race. From the gun it was more like a Criterium race with attack after attack going up the road trying to establish a break. During lap 2 a break of 3 riders got up the road and finally the pace settled into an uncomfortable grind. The dirt road was an adventure with each lap as it was filled with deep dirt sections, potholes, rocks and a climb. As the race progressed riders dropped out as the hills and dirt road took its toll on the riders and bikes.

With 3 laps to go the break was caught after a few riders in the break flatted on the dirt road. As usual when the break gets caught everyone on the field feels they have a chance to win and new attacks went one after another trying to establish another break. With 2 laps to go Team Type 1 sent a few riders on the attack and with them was Andy Crater. Crater has won several races in FL already this year with his sprint. Recognizing this move right away Karel jumped across to the three riders with another Team Type 1 rider getting a free ride. At the last possible second Jeff bridged to the 5 riders as the three Pro riders formed a three man time trial and took the pace off the charts up hill, down hill and through the dirt. Just like that the 6 man break was gone and Team LCA had two riders.

Clint was back in the field and he described the move like a bomb going off in the field as rider after rider tried to bridge the gap unsuccessfully. Karel and I instantly were suffering massively as we quickly realized that being in a break with 4 riders who do this for a living was going to not be an enjoyable experience. With the pulls being long and hard Jeff decided Karel should sit in and try and recover a little if that was possible. As the break went through the start finish for the final lap we knew that nobody from the remaining field was going to catch us. Crater attacked on the dirt road with a Team Type 1 rider on his wheel and Jeff got on the front and took up the brutal chase. With the Team Type 1 riders sitting on his wheel and Karel suffering Jeff pulled the two man break back to within 10 meters leading into the final climb. The sprint started with Karel giving it everything he had up the hill and through the two turns. Karel just missed the podium taking 4th and Jeff finished in 6th. Even through all of the suffering the riders on Team Lindner Capital Advisors were happy with recognizing the deciding move of the day and placing 2 riders in the winning move.

- Jeff Kopp