State Omnium. 3 races, three chances to score points or be crushed by the competition depending on your legs.
While I had some questions as to if the event would take place at all, it did, and while there were only about 30 riders in the 1/2 and most fields, the 1/2 field contained all the top-ranked guys.
Hopes of points in the TT were dashed with a mile or so to go when Nick Clayville put :59 seconds in to me. You can't expect to have done well when you've just been pac-manned by your minute-man. So yeah, got smoked, 0 points. And the State TT Champ Chris Teufel honored the gold by crushing, and staying on course, and making his start time, and getting 1st place.
Things got really fun for me and everyone in the crit when 1)Andrew Pinfold and one of his B.C. mutant-henchman-crushers showed at the race and 2)my shoe retention system busted 10 minutes into the race. Did I mention the course went up and down a small mountain? Turns out I had good legs anyway but couldn't really use them too much due to the shoe, but threw in a few digs for fun and in the end went for the sprint and got a top-10, my minimum goal for most races.
Luckily I was able to borrow my host's shoes and pedals and take the start in the RR where Pinfold added two more mutant crushers to the mix. I don't know how much the change of footwear affected me, but I wasn't too great on the hill, but at least I didn't lose contact of the second group. But seeing that I was in the second group each time and that I had a whole 3 points so far I had nothing to lose and put in a solo move for 10 miles that put me in the company of Pinfold, McKissick and Clayville at the top of the climb. Unfortunately, not only did the rest of the front group get back on, but later, the whole rest of the field--15 guys, some with lots of points, caught back on too.
So it was gruppo compatto into the hill (another solo move got mowed down by Mick W.) and it was 2nd group time, at least this time I lead the 2nd group up to the top of the hill. But....that was it. Too few dudes with too little horsepower, too late. And me being alone and a sprinter was left to take the 2nd group scraps in hopes of a few omnium points should there be any left.
The three other dudes I was travelling with all DNF'd so they were itching to leave the venue so I didn't see the results. I have the feeling the B-ham crew that put the event on are so relieved that the nightmare is over that they will never post the results to their website and it will say "coming soon!" forever. Hopefully they'll send the results to WSBA.
McKissick was definately a deserving and classy winner: going 3rd, 1st, 1st, and 1st Rate rode super well and probably ended up 2nd and 3rd in the overall.
I'm looking forward to racing in my own fully-functioning shoes at Criterium Nationals this Sunday.
Monday, August 13, 2007
Thursday, August 9, 2007
BARR vs. "Rider Ranking" points
If anyone actually read my blog, I'd propose a poll. Since no one does read it, I'll just blog into cyberspace...
Which is cooler/more prestigious/the best measure of WSBA riders, the BARR (State Championship series) or the season-long rider rankings points?
After many years of the BARR and fewer years of the rider rankings actually being diligently tallied (thanks Martha & Co.!) I believe the season-long points to be the best measure for a number of reasons.
Numerous thoughts on the two rankings:
1. Every race you score a top-10 in is scored. Thus it is more comprehensive than the BARR.
2. Since every WA race is included, someone that is scoring all season and is thus able to carry their form well is rewarded more.
3. The BARR is Time Trial-heavy with a TTT, a 40K TT, and the Hillclimb TT. Throw in the ITT in the omnium and you've got 4 TT's that go toward the BARR, compared to the RR, the new and poorly attended CR, the good ole Crit, and the RR and Crit in the Omnium. That's a 4 to 5 ratio to determine the Best All-around Road Racer. Keep in mind that the USCF does not award upgrade points for time trials.
4. A nice feature of the season-long points is that it also includes any BARR results one gets, making all BARR events of equal value to any other events during the year.
5. The season-long points scoring is now improved (imho) so that all races have a flat point value without any subjective criteria.
My points will probably become more redundant if I go on, so I'll stop now.
Which is cooler/more prestigious/the best measure of WSBA riders, the BARR (State Championship series) or the season-long rider rankings points?
After many years of the BARR and fewer years of the rider rankings actually being diligently tallied (thanks Martha & Co.!) I believe the season-long points to be the best measure for a number of reasons.
Numerous thoughts on the two rankings:
1. Every race you score a top-10 in is scored. Thus it is more comprehensive than the BARR.
2. Since every WA race is included, someone that is scoring all season and is thus able to carry their form well is rewarded more.
3. The BARR is Time Trial-heavy with a TTT, a 40K TT, and the Hillclimb TT. Throw in the ITT in the omnium and you've got 4 TT's that go toward the BARR, compared to the RR, the new and poorly attended CR, the good ole Crit, and the RR and Crit in the Omnium. That's a 4 to 5 ratio to determine the Best All-around Road Racer. Keep in mind that the USCF does not award upgrade points for time trials.
4. A nice feature of the season-long points is that it also includes any BARR results one gets, making all BARR events of equal value to any other events during the year.
5. The season-long points scoring is now improved (imho) so that all races have a flat point value without any subjective criteria.
My points will probably become more redundant if I go on, so I'll stop now.
Q: Who is number 2?
No, not a reference to The Prisoner (check that old English TV show out if you haven't) but rather a reference to the WSBA season-long rider rankings. A: Me! Temporarily at least. After getting 3rd at Volunteer Park (see www.wheelsinfocus.com for excellent photos as usual) I made it up to runner-up to Darth Tubbs, who of course has double or so my 704 points.
As for the race itself, I raced very conservatively since the finish line is a nice straight and long way from the final turn, and I wouldn't mind a field sprint. I've won three sprints (1 for a the win) there before, so why get creative/stupid? The splits I followed came to naught as Wines of WA among others seemed pretty deteremined to have the group together.
The final 3, then 1 man break seeemd doomed fromt he start due to the lack of stars in the move and the fact that gravity is on the side of the chase at the VP course. So it came back, and on the last lap I followed Nick Clayville's attack, but didn't pull to avoid suicide, and we were swarmed just as the road went uphill. I stayed on Nick's wheel to stay safe, but he was fading as you'd expect along the right curb. I didn't panic and waited to get to the final corner and opened up my sprint.
Nick ended up 15th and I was able to come by everyone but Andrew Martin and Chad Nikolz. So, on the one hand I'm kicking myself for not being in better position, and the other I'm happy to have my 1st top-3 in a 1/2 race in a while. It was also fun to get a nice result in front of lots of friends and family that made the race a meeting place for the afternoon.
For the rest of the season I will 1) try to beat Chad in a sprint and 2) earn as many ranking points as possible. I won't be doing every event by any stretch due to Crit Nats (yeah) and baby classes, etc.
As for the race itself, I raced very conservatively since the finish line is a nice straight and long way from the final turn, and I wouldn't mind a field sprint. I've won three sprints (1 for a the win) there before, so why get creative/stupid? The splits I followed came to naught as Wines of WA among others seemed pretty deteremined to have the group together.
The final 3, then 1 man break seeemd doomed fromt he start due to the lack of stars in the move and the fact that gravity is on the side of the chase at the VP course. So it came back, and on the last lap I followed Nick Clayville's attack, but didn't pull to avoid suicide, and we were swarmed just as the road went uphill. I stayed on Nick's wheel to stay safe, but he was fading as you'd expect along the right curb. I didn't panic and waited to get to the final corner and opened up my sprint.
Nick ended up 15th and I was able to come by everyone but Andrew Martin and Chad Nikolz. So, on the one hand I'm kicking myself for not being in better position, and the other I'm happy to have my 1st top-3 in a 1/2 race in a while. It was also fun to get a nice result in front of lots of friends and family that made the race a meeting place for the afternoon.
For the rest of the season I will 1) try to beat Chad in a sprint and 2) earn as many ranking points as possible. I won't be doing every event by any stretch due to Crit Nats (yeah) and baby classes, etc.
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