The Aventon Manufacturing facility workforce goes to every race with a plan to win it, and Purple Hook Crit Brooklyn was no exception. We went to New York with a strong males’s workforce, and doubtless the strongest girls’s workforce we’ve ever had. The ladies’s workforce was made up of a former world champion rower (Lisa), the 2017 RHC collection champ (Eleonore), a former stuntwoman (Kym), and a rider recent off a solo victory at Mission Crit (Esther). So, whereas we went to Brooklyn as one of many high males’s groups, our greatest shot at victory was most probably with the ladies.
The workforce arrived in Brooklyn with all of the bikes and riders exhibiting up on time and unbroken. We checked into our resort and stored our fingers crossed that the rain would keep away by way of the weekend. Virtually no person likes racing within the rain, however all of us felt that the rain may assist us a bit.
So far as I do know, we’re one of many solely groups utilizing tubeless wheels, and the tubeless setup supplied by our wheel sponsor, Irwin, permits us to run decrease tire pressures (decrease tire pressures equal extra grip on these moist corners). Friday is a day we often use to get well from journey, put the bikes collectively, and head to Prospect Park to check the legs somewhat. However the intermittent rain all day made that journey somewhat shorter than traditional, and we didn’t do far more than pedal few miles and choose up race numbers. Nonetheless, it was sufficient to check the gear and for the riders to loosen up.
There was a barely new qualification system for each women and men. The ladies’s subject has grown considerably during the last 4 years, and this was the primary time that some girls have been eradicated and wouldn’t race within the closing. The power to eradicate among the girls is an indication of success, and it’s good to see an more and more aggressive subject the place riders should earn their approach to the ultimate. All our girls made the ultimate as anticipated.
NonStop and Esther each began somewhat too far again for my liking, however everybody was there. The race began off quick, as traditional, with these first lap primes actually get everybody going proper from the gun. Early on, Margeaux Vigie (Santafixie BLB London), discovered herself with round a 10-second hole on the sector. We’ve seen how these early strikes can stick at RHC races, so alarm bells began going off when the hole wasn’t closed shortly.
Eleonore and Lisa have been doing a big share of the work to deliver Vigie again however weren’t getting a lot assist from the peloton. So ultimately, Lisa determined to bridge the hole solo and it appeared like she and Vigie may keep away. Lisa was simply the stronger of the 2, and simply took the mid-race prime, however the pair was swallowed up quickly after.
In an ideal execution of workforce ways, Esther attacked nearly instantly after the catch and shortly constructed up a lead of 8-10 seconds. Her teammates within the group helped disrupt the chase and the hole was holding regular. With 6 laps to go, I used to be nearly positive Esther was going to win.
We’ve seen solo breaks stick within the males’s races, so we all know it might probably work right here. If I have been a playing man, I simply would have put $100 and Esther to win at that time. However quickly after, Carla Nafria (Specialised Rocket Espresso) took an unimaginable dig on the entrance. Nafria labored so arduous that she pulled out of the race afterward and didn’t even end. However the massive pull introduced Esther inside placing distance of the remainder of the pack, and he or she was quickly swallowed up.
I didn’t like what simply occurred however should admit that it was a wonderful piece of teamwork. In the long run, Nafria’s work paid off, and her teammate Raphele Lemieux took the victory. The Aventon Manufacturing facility Crew spent nearly the entire race off the entrance, however we couldn’t end it off and completed fifth. It wasn’t the outcome we needed, however we demonstrated the power and teamwork that may hopefully result in victory.
The lads’s began off sturdy within the heats, with all riders however one qualifying for the primary ten rows. Going into the ultimate, I anticipated the highest 3 groups to be the Aventon workforce, Specialised, and Bauhumer, and the plan was to get both Olivier or David in a break. We stored our fingers crossed that the rain would keep away and lined up for the beginning.
In fact, the race began off ridiculously quick, as a result of that’s the best way it all the time does. To be sincere, this wasn’t the very best race for us. Some our males have been exhibiting nice type, however for no matter motive, all of them struggled somewhat bit in Brooklyn. We struggled to hit the entrance of the race and have been by no means current in any of the massive strikes. With 6 or 7 laps to go, the Specialised workforce all hit the entrance and ready their lead-out for Justin Williams.
Across the identical time, the clouds that had up to now held their contents determined to open up and dump rain on the entire riders. Right here is the factor about racing within the rain: When you find yourself racing for the win, the rain gained’t cease you, and also you’ll journey simply as arduous and even more durable due to it. However once you aren’t feeling it, and the chance for victory is already slipping away, you merely don’t have the motivation to present every part and take the additional dangers within the rain.
In the long run, our high outcome was Olivier in eleventh. To be sincere, I’m completely happy everybody stayed upright within the rain. We’ll be again to battle one other day. However this coming weekend isn’t for combating, it’s for enjoyable.
A number of of the SoCal riders are headed to Mexico, to do the Rosarito-Ensenada enjoyable journey, and revel in some tacos and beer. Keep looking out for photographs and the story.
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