Superweek: Olympia Fields

The Course: It was a new subdivision, with curbs in but only the initial layer of asphalt. So there is a one to two inch lip between the edge of the asphalt and the cement gutter. The course (once the asphalt is finished) would make a great Wednesday night crit for a group of 10 guys. It was a bit small for 40, and I imagine would have been ridiculous for the 90 or so in the P/1/2s. Sounds like many of the P/1/2 riders took a pass, and the 3s had thier share of crashes as well (another here).


Apparently they had to cut an additional little part of the course (Eros drive) because a manhole cover right in the apex of the turn was sticking up 2 inches. That left us with a loop, less than a half mile. There was no doubt with the wind and the small field, this would be a hard race. The 3rd corner was a slightly downhill, sharp downwind corner into a long sweeper. When coming out of the turn you were hit by a brutal wind off the rider’s right, leaving the draft in the gutter, next to the curb cut.As you can imagine, it was inevitable that someone would hit the edge and go down. Only one guy did, but it was pretty spectacular, though not nearly as bad as the crashes in the 3s and the P/1/2.

The race started fairly hard and only got worse. Kent Savitt wacked it good and got a half lap on us quickly.Impressive, as he stayed out there for a bit, but suddenly as fast as he left us he came back, apparently he realized the wind was brutal. I on the other hand just did not feel well.It’s hard to describe the private hell I was in between the third corner and the first corner, but let me try. The sweeping right hand turn left you fighting for a wheel in the outside gutter, while carefully avoiding the lip of the curb, all while continuing a gentle but irregular right hand turn. To make it more difficult the wind would swirl around the houses, knocking the riders a few feet left or right.As you can imagine a couple inch move to the left by the guys in front turned into a 3 foot left turn by the time it hit me in the back of the field.It made for a lot of stress. About half way in I had enough, I was tired, not feeling well, barely hanging on and becoming more dangerous to myself. So I regretfully pulled out.I watched the rest of the race from the danger corner and cheered for Mark and Tige as the battled on. It was quite impressive, as the race looked to be getting even harder. Now, by my count they only need to out sprint a few guys and they were in the money. Groups split and reformed continually, while I tried count the riders in front to let them know where they stood relative to the money spots.With 2 to go it was clear that only 2 guys of the 8 in their group would get money so Tige pulled a Cancellara and attacked his group. He would eventually have one companion, but he would hang on to the last money spot as Mark’s group charged up to him in the brutal finishing head wind.Savitt was in Tige’s group so it was a smart move by Tige, grabbing him 20 more bucks.


I must admit to being pretty disappointed. I hate getting dropped, but looking at my heart rate data I never should have been hurting so bad. Then later that evening I carpet bombed a toilet for about 20 minutes. Maybe I was sick from the 2,500 ant egg omelet that morning? Well, maybe I wasn’t but that’s what I’m telling myself. My fortune from P.F. Chang’s would also serve as motivation to get in the money tomorrow.

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