Elkhorn Valley Cycling powered by Monster and Team Type 1 – Nebraska fielded a team of three riders at the Joe Martin Stage Race in Fayetteville, Arkansas on April 28-29, coming away with some battle scars and a top twenty finish.

Joe Savoie rallied in the criterium after a tough time trial and road race, picking up at least seven spots to finish inside the top 20.

Rich Anderson crashed in the road race while Sam Oakes had a good time trial but a little tough luck in the road race and crit.

We haven’t gotten a report from Joe but here are reports from Sam and Rich.

Sam Oakes had this to say:

Anyone who knows me knows that I “slightly” “obsess” over time trials.  I paced myself poorly last year and ran out of gas about halfway up the climb.  It was only by being extremely light that I could hold on to a sub 12 minute time on the 2.5 mile climb.

This year, I had a power meter on my side to avoid going out too hard.  I had estimated that the time trial should take me about 12 minutes under proper pacing.  I had been playing around with my power meter to set a 12 minute power that also factored in that I’d need to race later that day.  I did a dry run on Friday to verify my power numbers, which put me at about 30 seconds faster than last year.

On race day, I felt very good and decided to race a little above the numbers I previously set, but tried to stay under 400w.  I managed to be 50 seconds faster than last year with an average power of 281w (5.2w/kg) for the ~11 min effort.  This got me 17th place.  In such a talented field I was very happy with this result, especially since I typically do better in much longer individual time trials.  Last year I questioned if I could even start the road race and this year I felt fine.

The road race didn’t go as well for me.  As the field began to pick up the pace, I didn’t quite have an answer to the pace with the time trial in my legs.  I began to lose the pack.  I was able to climb at my own pace and started to close down a fairly substantial gap.  I saw Rich on the side of the road by the wheel truck and decided to stop and try to work to see if I could catch him back on.  It didn’t take long to see that his bike was done dealing.  Not seeing that he crashed, I thought he had a flat and catching him on was better since Rich consistently does well in road races and crits.  I lost the chance to catch up and burned too many matches.  I was able to find small pockets of riders, but most were toast and couldn’t work with me.  Had I not stopped, I might have finished with the bunch.  I think this means we need could use a few more EVCC/TT1 riders at Joe Martin.  

Crits aren’t my specialty as is.  After the tough races the day before, I was fairly spent.  I couldn’t handle the start and was instantly gapped.  I managed to ride up to a small chase pack and ride a few laps before being pulled.  I joked that I was going to be pulled after the 1st lap, but managed to hang in there for a few more.  My legs hurt so bad that I wasn’t upset to be pulled.  I plan on working on my crit efforts for a few more crits later this season. 

All in all, not a bad weekend.  I should have done better in the road race, but hindsight is always 20/20.  My primary goals were improving my time trial and getting some power data. 

While Rich Anderson chimed in with:

Thursday time trial, not much to say here except that i need to improve my time trailing.  My time was 12:13 about two minutes off of the leaders time.

Road race,  my better discipline.  The pace from the start was really slow.  Fifty riders all bunched up, there were a few attacks and two riders (not together) off the front.  There were a few surges, but nothing was happening.  We hit the first serious climb (at the pro feed zone).  This is a short steep climb that is not really that bad.  The group takes this climb at a reasonable pace, i was wondering if it was the climb since it seemed fairly easy to me.  Then after a quick decent i realized what was next.  The longest climb of the day.  Here the paced picked up and a few riders were “riding backwards” which made holding place a little hard.  A few riders were not heeding the yellow line rule and going around that way.  I survived this climb and was recovering.  A little while later on a flat section of road i was taking a drink and the group slowed down.  This put me into a riders back wheel and sent me to the ground along with a few other riders.  I lay there for a bit while bikes and people detangle the mess.  I get up trying to straighten out my shifters, the support ask if i need wheels.  I say i need a new bike, they notice my rear derailleur is not in the right position, and my weekend is done.  During this time Sam stops to check on me (thanks).  I get my bike loaded on a following vehicle, the we speed down the road to catch back up to the group.

It was the first time i had that perspective on the race.  As for my  condition.  Right elbow, scrapes.  Minor scrapes on a few fingers.  Hematoma on my right hip.  A minor scrape on my right ankle.  A six inch mark on my back, someone riding over me (not Kevin Murray this time).

Hopefully the bike is ok.