4/22/07 - Myles Standish Park Road Race Report
by: Charles McCarthy Seven team members – Peter, Nick, Chris, Ryan F., Charlie, Aaron, and Brad – trickled down from the north country where just the day before the team put on the Turtle Pond Circuit Race in Concord, New Hampshire. Itching to race, the riders gleefully left arm and leg warmers in the car and set out to test early season fitness. New this year, the organizers of the Myles Standish State Park Road Race wisely tweaked the course. During the peak of its popularity, back when it was known as the Adelphia Grand Prix, the race would come to a blisteringly fast sprint finish often preceded by gory crashes as riders jostled for position on a downhill stretch leading up to the finish line. This year the course was basically reversed, ostensibly to prevent such horrific carnage from recurring. With the Tour of Virginia beginning in two days 660 miles southwest of Plymouth, the field wasn’t especially big and scary. But the course’s rollercoaster chicanes and stomach-dropping dips made for fast and, at times, enjoyable laps around the circuit. With the largest team in the race, the goal was to keep the field together in order to set up Nick for the sprint. Nick, already “warmed up” from his 55 mile ride in from Boston, faced up to the challenge well. All but one serious breakaway contained one or two LSF riders. The bumpy course was relentless and riders were unknowingly jettisoning waterbottles left and right. Many a dry mouth crossed the line when all was said and done. In the end, all threatening moves were shut down, often by the efforts of the team, and the race came down to an uphill sprint finish. Brad was able to navigate the twisty run in to the finish and with the LSF sprinter glued to his rear wheel sent Nick to the line, just missing the win and grabbing 3rd place.
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