Lucarelli and Castaldi Summer Open

First place - 1/2/3 field

Team Goal: Win the race, get Cormac closer to first place in the Boyd Cup (individual season long competition in Central Park), get into first place in the season long team competition

Report:

Pre race

It was Friday afternoon and I was sitting at home in Massachusetts debating on driving to NYC to race the next morning. I had been having some serious stomach issues and I had lost a lot of water. But other than that I felt fine. I decided to just drive down because it wasn't that I was deciding to race, I was only deciding to drive down there to be able to race. Luckily I did because magically upon arriving my symptoms improved (still not perfect). I didn’t think I would be 100% but maybe I’d be close? Would I even have to be 100% to do my best? At the very least I knew I could help pull a little or be a decoy to help the team.

The alarm went off at 4:25 am and I texted my teammate “⏰ time to make the donuts.” We were awake. That was the first step. Then I hopped in the shower. I know a lot of people don’t bother showering before a race but I just like to feel fresh and clean and ready. Plus it’s a nice place to get some warmth to the muscles and get a little stretching and movement in. On my way to the start I noticed what a perfect day it was to race. The perfect temperature. I thought of Marcus Aurelius. How he would wake up before the dawn and “dwell on the beauty of life. Look up at the stars and see himself running with them.” I thought about how lucky I was to be doing what I absolutely love doing. This could be my last time and if it was I wasn’t going to look back at it with any regrets. If it was I wasn’t going to go out doing any less than my best. I also got excited to see my friends and how they did.

Race

• These beginning events aren’t necessarily in order. Also, I want to apologize if I sound like a psycho. This is just what happens inside my head in the race.

My team (Good Guys) has a lot of strength and a lot of numbers so we know that making the race hard works out in our favor. So that’s what we did. Today, everyone was at the front. There were so many attacks and splits and small breakaways throughout the race and we were always in them. We were always represented and in a position where we could win. Before I go too far I don’t want you to get the impression my team didn’t ride like animals and do their own attacks and help me. They did. This is just what was happening from my perspective.

It didn’t take long to notice that the Dave Jordan team had a plan to mark us. (Dave Jordan had the Boyd Cup leader, Stalin, who we were trying to overtake with Cormac). When Cormac would attack, Stalin would sit on his wheel and not pull through. When I attacked, Santiago sat on my wheel and did not pull through. This is a tactic that is common in cycling. If you have the leader’s jersey it’s up to the others to drop you. I am very familiar with it from last season going against the team Foundation for the Boyd Cup. I don’t fault Dave Jordan for using it. Some yell and scream at people for doing it but I understand. I don’t agree with this tactic though because if you’re always on defense eventually your opponent scores. Sometimes the best defense is offense.

It was not just the Dave Jordan team riding like this either. I must have put in seven attacks during the race that caused a breakaway to form. I would flick my elbow and no one would pull through behind me and we would eventually be caught. I didn’t let it bother me today though. I felt something.

During the neutral start of the race I was talking to our team manager Michael Tan about our Oura Ring. The Oura Ring just put out an update that allows the ring to measure your blood oxygen content. When it does this a light shines red. At night it is very bright. I told Michael that I love it because I feel like a Sith Lord. He told me to channel that energy today in the race.

That was exactly what I felt. I felt unlimited power. I would attack. No one would pull through. We would get caught. I would attack again. No one would pull through. We would get caught. I felt unlimited power. Every time someone didn’t pull through it made me even more determined to attack and make everyone suffer.

On the third lap to go everyone was slowing down. I attacked up Harlem Hill. People started yelling “attack right side!” They don’t yell that for everyone. As I went by I felt sassy and yelled back at them “attack right side!” Just in case nobody heard it. But this attack was the last one. Santiago, my shadow from the Dave Jordan team was there, and a rider from Big Hit. I had my beef with Big Hit at the beginning of the season but I have serious respect for them because they always come to ride. They always put themselves in a chance to win.

So it was the three of us for the last two and a half laps. Santiago didn’t pull through at all. Again, I accept the tactics. My Big Hit companion, John, and I traded turns. I feel like we shared the work load equally and we were really moving fast. Up until our breakaway the race was averaging only 26.3 mph. The last 2.5 laps he and I averaged 27.5 mph. What a beast he is!

I knew that we had a problem though. We had Santiago sitting on and he would be fresh for the sprint finish. I thought of my options and they didn’t look good. Eventually I knew I could sit up with him and we would all get caught by the group. I tried the only two things I could to get ride of him. First, I let a gap open between John and I for a minute or two. John’s gap was growing and I was waiting to see if Santiago would attack past me. If he did I would get on his wheel and counter attack him and try to drop him. He didn’t take the bait! My next option came. We were coming up on one of the uphill parts of the course. I sprinted as hard as I could up it and bridged back up to John. I was hoping I might drop Santiago but I did not. So my only two tactics did not work. I was running out of options.

We were coming close to one lap to go and it was going to be time for me to sit up and let the group catch us. They were not that far behind. All of a sudden. CRASH. I looked back and saw Santiago on the ground rolling around. I was glad to hear he was okay after the race. John said he had crossed wheels with him and took himself out. I don’t wish a crash on anyone. But that’s the brutal part of bike racing. It goes on. But just like that John and I were free to start riding full gas together.

John and I shared the workload for the last lap and kept the speed high. He is very savvy. He perfectly timed his pulls so that I took the last pull leading to the finish. I wasn’t worried because I knew the finish. Normally the person at the front is at a disadvantage in a two person sprint. The first person starts the sprint, the second person drafts and then eventually sprints by first person and wins. This finish was different because it finished up Cat’s Paw, a little hill. I knew I could turn this disadvantaged position into an advantage. We had a good gap and we were not getting caught so I didn't have to ride really hard to the finish line. So I just kept the speed up but well below my threshold. I slowed down going down the hill before Cat’s Paw. I almost welcomed him to attack me on the downhill since I am probably 50 pounds heavier haha. At the bottom of the downhill there is a left sweeping turn. This turns into the uphill. At the bottom of the uphill is a sweeping right turn. I maneuvered so he would have to go around the long way if he wanted to pass me. Not only would he have to go the long way, he would also have to make up a bike length to draw even with me. I allowed the pace to slow down. A slower pace decreased the benefit of him being on my wheel. I waited until I could hear, feel, or see his acceleration. We started to sprint. Because we weren’t going fast he didn’t benefit from my draft before starting his sprint. He tried to come around pretty early but I had bunch left to give. In the end I may have been a couple bike lengths ahead. I won the race.

John was the first one all race to ride with me and he gave himself a chance to win. He was right there. I understand tactics and following wheels but like I said if you’re always on defense eventually you get scored on. If you’re always following eventually you get left behind. I’m not writing this because I am salty. I’m patient and it worked out for me today. I’m writing it because I believe you can’t always just follow if you want to get a result. We need to get that mindset out of our head. I encourage everyone to push the pedals and take a chance.

So looking back at the goals. We won the race. Cormac placed third and closed the gap to the Boyd Cup competition. We took the lead in the team cup competition. All three goals achieved.

What did you do well?

I was patient. If there was a breakaway that wasn’t to my advantage I didn’t work. If no one pulled through when I attacked I didn’t get upset or yell I just sat up and attacked again shortly after. Last week at Grant’s Tomb in my solo breakaway I told myself I was too slow and was going to get caught. I questioned if this was the right reinforcement to use in my head. Today I screamed “UNLIMITED POWER” in my head every time I attacked. I was a Sith Lord.

What did you not do well?

I should quit my job because I had to leave right after the race to drive back to Massachusetts to work. Just kidding. Maybe I will move back/closer to NYC some day. I honestly am happy with how the day went.

What will you do differently in the future to be better than today?

I made sure to say hi and be nice to everyone that I could. At the start line I even went over to see my friend Krista. I said good morning and gave her a fist bump. I forgot it was her birthday. Sorry Krista! Honest mistake but maybe it’s a sign I could be paying more attention to the things that actually matter.