Race Report: 2010 Lost River Classic, 3/4 Road Race
Snapple Cycling headed to Mathias, WV on Saturday for the Lost River Classic. The team raced there last year and followed up with a trip to the Lost River Barn for camp earlier this year. For those looking for training camp locations, you can’t beat it.
The loop is just over 10 miles, with two climbs, both about a mile long (Garmin data here). The Jenkins Hollow climb kicks up towards the end, right before the finish line, and the climb up Dispanet is more like two kickers back to back. Nothing like Brickyard steep, but just enough to hurt.
Jenkins Hollow Climb (0.85miles, 260ft ascent, 5.8% average grade, 10% max grade)
Dispanet Climb (0.93 miles, 272ft ascent, 5.5% average grade, 13% max grade)
The 3/4 race was decided by a break on the second to last climb. T Blo from Coppi tested the field a couple of times, initially over the first half then again realizing there was a gap. The group didn’t respond, and off he went. It was a great move and he kept it rolling down the descent. Nobody wanted to work all that hard on that flat section going into the last climb, until two Bike Rack Heads jumped (Dennis and I think Tony). The pace picked up along Crab Run road, with one of the Lumm brothers setting a hard tempo. The Lumm brothers are machines, they pretty much pulled the group around all day and Brandon finished 5th. Brigham won the 3/4 race at Reston earlier this year, dude got an engine.
Just as we turned on Jenkins Hollow, I started a dig and made it to those last two parts where it kicks up a bit, I’d say 200m from the finish line. Then the wheels started to come off. GamJams Paul Rades, who mastered the 35+ 3/4 race at Coppi, went around and I could see Ian Spivak making up ground fast. I was cooked. Fortunately the finish line was just up ahead and I rolled across in 3rd, absolutely spent.
Pleased with the result. Blonkowski made a great move and it paid off. He got a flat at the ToWC RR and who knows maybe he gets the win there, glad to see him on top two years in a row.
Top Ten
Men’s Category 3/4
42 miles $300/7 places
1 Thomas Blonkowski, Squadra Coppi
2 Paul Rades, GamJams/Pre-Reg.com p/b Cutaway Clothing
3 Matias Palavecino, Team Snapple
4 Ian Spivack, DCMTB-Family Bike Shop
5 Brandon Lumm, Route 1 Velo/Arrow Bicycle
6 Jordan Cross, Squadra Coppi
7 Dennis Bodewits, District Velocity Racing p/b The Bike Rack
8 Sigberto Garcia, NCVC/UnitedHealth Group
9 Zachary Rogers, 540Cycling.com
10 Bob Gillespie, All American Bicycle Club
Race Stats:
37.6 miles, 1:51:10
Splits – Last three laps
31:09 (20.3mph avg)
30:54 (20.3mph avg)
28:08 (22.5mph avg)
Average pace 20.2 mph, including roll out and first half of first lap
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Looking over the 1/2/3 results, looks like a repeat of last year
2009
1 Nick Bax, DC Velo
2 Keck Baker, Harley
3 Brian Butts, Harley
2010
1 Keck Baker, Harley
2 Chuck Hutch, Harley
3 Nick Bax, DC Velo
And looks like Bax bested the Harley gang at Coppi. Bax v Harley, maybe they’ll battle again at Page Valley.
And check it out, Floyd Landis is entered in the P/1/2 race at Catskills, unattached. Wonder if he’ll sport the Snapple kit.
