From The Peloton: Bill England On 'Toona Stage 3
0 Comments Published by Unknown on Sunday, August 5, 2007 at 6:21 PM.
Stage 3: Johnstown to Altoona Road Race
“Passive-aggressive, guys, passive-aggressive,” team director Harm Jansen reminded the team of their strategy for the day from the driver’s seat of the Toyota Prius. “We want to make Health Net work to protect the jersey. It will pay off in the days to come. So no heroics today.”
The weather was fine throughout the day, the threatening rain clouds keeping their distance as the race wound through the lush green hills and farmland of central Pennsylvania. At one point a paddock of big wooly brown bison chewed their cuds and stared disinterestedly at the bikes and cars, like, well, like cows at a passing train. In the early going numerous attacks tried and failed to hold until about twenty miles into the race a group of five escaped, including Toyota-United’s Heath Blackgrove.
“This is good,” Harm said as much to himself as to the others in the car. “This is very good,” he repeated, animatedly, as the gap quickly grew to two minutes. With Heath and two strong Navigators (Van Ulden and Brooks) plus Tolleson from Slipstream and Tim Henry of Jittery Joes (a young rider feeling his oats to be in a break with these top pros), the break was not going to be easy to catch. The race situation continued steadily, the gap remaining between two and three minutes, for nearly two hours. Finally, with 25 miles remaining, Healthnet went to work, and it took 15 miles and several popped riders to close the gap. On the ensuing descent two Navigators—Chadwick and Cooke—jumped and established a quick 10 second gap. “Patient, guys. We’ll attack in the final rollers, England, then Wherry, then Baldwin last.”
The peloton had been whittled down to a final selection of about 25, including Baldwin, Wherry, and England. All three were near the front we could see from the car as the hard-charging bunch leaned into a curve ahead of us. But so was Karl Menzies, currently in the yellow jersey. Somehow he had recovered and made his way to the front after a tough climb.
In the end Menzies attacked the field AND a concrete median at the finish, beating them both with a flying leap and a big toothy grin. The final 90 degree turn into the Logan Valley Mall parking lot included a six-inch-high concrete traffic separation median, the subject of much controversy as to who legally finished first. Some of the riders stayed to the right of the median, as would normal vehicular traffic, and as the race organizers intended. But 50 meters from the finish is a bad place for a right angle tight turn onto a single traffic lane. Cutting the corner and jumping the curb may have prevented an ugly crash, and may also have given Menzies the W. “He went off course and jumped the #&@*%% curb! That gave him the $#%^**ing race!” one rider was hear to exclaim. Bike racing—it’s not for the faint of heart.
The Toyota-United team rode a terrific race, like the seasoned pros they are. Health Net’s work in the break was especially important because it forced them to burn a lot of their energy to close the gap. They won the day, but it remains to be seen what happens to the big prize. Baldwin and Wherry were able to minimize their effort (not to ‘minimize’ their effort...) and not lose any time, except for the finishing time bonuses. So they are still in good position to compete for GC, and England, Swindlehurst, and Manion were able to conserve their energy for the next three days when it may be needed more. And all the riders finished safely well within the time limit.
Several minutes after the lead group, Ivan Dominguez coasted in and flashed a big grin at the knot of teammates who were commiserating about the unfortunate finish, a grin that would lift anyone’s spirits.
Editor's Note: The race officials agreed the finish was not proper, blaming the course setup, and neutralized the stage: no places were awarded, no time bonuses, no prize money, and no NRC points.
“Passive-aggressive, guys, passive-aggressive,” team director Harm Jansen reminded the team of their strategy for the day from the driver’s seat of the Toyota Prius. “We want to make Health Net work to protect the jersey. It will pay off in the days to come. So no heroics today.”
The weather was fine throughout the day, the threatening rain clouds keeping their distance as the race wound through the lush green hills and farmland of central Pennsylvania. At one point a paddock of big wooly brown bison chewed their cuds and stared disinterestedly at the bikes and cars, like, well, like cows at a passing train. In the early going numerous attacks tried and failed to hold until about twenty miles into the race a group of five escaped, including Toyota-United’s Heath Blackgrove.
“This is good,” Harm said as much to himself as to the others in the car. “This is very good,” he repeated, animatedly, as the gap quickly grew to two minutes. With Heath and two strong Navigators (Van Ulden and Brooks) plus Tolleson from Slipstream and Tim Henry of Jittery Joes (a young rider feeling his oats to be in a break with these top pros), the break was not going to be easy to catch. The race situation continued steadily, the gap remaining between two and three minutes, for nearly two hours. Finally, with 25 miles remaining, Healthnet went to work, and it took 15 miles and several popped riders to close the gap. On the ensuing descent two Navigators—Chadwick and Cooke—jumped and established a quick 10 second gap. “Patient, guys. We’ll attack in the final rollers, England, then Wherry, then Baldwin last.”
The peloton had been whittled down to a final selection of about 25, including Baldwin, Wherry, and England. All three were near the front we could see from the car as the hard-charging bunch leaned into a curve ahead of us. But so was Karl Menzies, currently in the yellow jersey. Somehow he had recovered and made his way to the front after a tough climb.
In the end Menzies attacked the field AND a concrete median at the finish, beating them both with a flying leap and a big toothy grin. The final 90 degree turn into the Logan Valley Mall parking lot included a six-inch-high concrete traffic separation median, the subject of much controversy as to who legally finished first. Some of the riders stayed to the right of the median, as would normal vehicular traffic, and as the race organizers intended. But 50 meters from the finish is a bad place for a right angle tight turn onto a single traffic lane. Cutting the corner and jumping the curb may have prevented an ugly crash, and may also have given Menzies the W. “He went off course and jumped the #&@*%% curb! That gave him the $#%^**ing race!” one rider was hear to exclaim. Bike racing—it’s not for the faint of heart.
The Toyota-United team rode a terrific race, like the seasoned pros they are. Health Net’s work in the break was especially important because it forced them to burn a lot of their energy to close the gap. They won the day, but it remains to be seen what happens to the big prize. Baldwin and Wherry were able to minimize their effort (not to ‘minimize’ their effort...) and not lose any time, except for the finishing time bonuses. So they are still in good position to compete for GC, and England, Swindlehurst, and Manion were able to conserve their energy for the next three days when it may be needed more. And all the riders finished safely well within the time limit.
Several minutes after the lead group, Ivan Dominguez coasted in and flashed a big grin at the knot of teammates who were commiserating about the unfortunate finish, a grin that would lift anyone’s spirits.
Editor's Note: The race officials agreed the finish was not proper, blaming the course setup, and neutralized the stage: no places were awarded, no time bonuses, no prize money, and no NRC points.
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