Wednesday Worlds - Race Report

The first edition of the 2011 Wednesday Worlds went off as scheduled tonight leaving 530 from the Sample Gates. Over 30 riders stranded here in Bloomington on Spring Break participated including 5 women. Tonight the stakes were raised with a midway prime of Scholars Inn Bakehouse Granola on the 3^rd lap and a $20 gift certificate to the Scholars Inn at the finish! We hit the line with a steady breeze heading out of the south west and temperatures in the 50s. We were single file within seconds and a series of attacks set the stage for a spirited training race. Ryan Shanahan and Ren Jay Shei (Scholars Inn) tried their luck with a series of forays off the front as did strongman Tom Cox (Aldefer Bergen) and Andy Messer (DRT). With an otherwise uneventful two done and 4 to go, and average speeds in the mid 24s, we were joined by Erik Hamilton and Fred Rose (jumping in as they arrived late from a day at the office) pulling the field for over 2 laps, catching the hapless Shei and Shanahan, but not until after Ryan nipped Ren Jay at the line for the midway granola prime! With one to go and average speeds adding pressure to an already stretched elastic and average speed inching closer to 25mph, a series of windups up the 446 cols turned out to be fruitless. Graham Dewart flatted just as he was moving up fast on the inside. Erik and Fred relinquished their lead as they had no intention on determining the days sprint. We made the corner at the top of 446 and charged to the line with about 15 riders on the lead lap remaining. Saccone lead out to about 250m and then got out of the way of the bigger engines as Cox, Shei, Shanahan, Messer, etal played their desperate cards for the victory! When the dust settled, it was Shei with the W at the line, nipping a fast moving Cox in the exciting finale!

Next week: Forest Loop down Bean Blossom. Leaving the Sample gates at 6:00pm. The finish line is freshly painted on Anderson as are the 100m and 200m markers.