Report from Marc Trucano, Masters 45+ Cat 4:
The Bariani RR has evolved over the last few
years from a race on the east side of 505, more hills, to a race on the west
side of 505 that has narrow roads and some good gravel especially on one of the
right turns that is fun because it pushes the limits of some of the riders not
used to a little off road action. Being on the front of the group on
these types of turns is important vs. being on the back and dealing with a big
slow down and speed up again. So I was the only VW team member in this
race but did have 3 great riders from last year’s precision team. So
naturally we grouped together. Plan was to go off the front on the first
lap before these narrow roads and thats exactly what we did to take advantage
of getting thru the narrow road and turns faster as a small group vs. the
large group. Three of us made the jump and got off the front, I
after 3 days of construction work though did not have the legs yesterday
to help as I should of and after gaining about a 30 second lead and covering
about a third of the first lap I fell off and went back to the main
group. The 2 others continued on and then got absorbed around the
completion of the first lap. We really needed a 4th or even a 5th person
to make it stick. The race went on and we kept attacking to a point
that a couple other riders were complaining about these breaks off
the front and them burning matches that they were trying to save
for the last sprint to the finish. My answer was "thats the point of
breaking off the front" At the last right turn a
rider went down, we later named him the Madera Mad Man because at the Madera
Stage Race he was screaming at people. Then another rider during the
sprint did an endo into the fence on right side of road. I finished
around 20th although go old results show me as DNP. I wish USA Cycling
would go to computer chips like we use in Triathlons.
Lots
of fun and great to see other team and friends finish their races. Our
official Team RR Camera Girl Bridgette, lol, I believe will be posting Pics if
she has not already.
Marc “
“What a great day of racing at the Bariani Road Race.
Team Velo Wrench was well represented with Mark Trucano racing the
Masters 45 Cat 4 and James Swift, Marcos Marrero
and myself racing the Elite Cat 5. If you've never raced Bariani the
course itself is a 14 mile, mostly flat clockwise loop with a few rollers and a
slightly up hill finish, located West of Zamora.
The road conditions are a little rough. Staying alert and watching
your front wheel is a good idea in any race, but paramount to success here with
patches of gravel and soft shoulders all along the course and as always pack a
spare tube in your pocket or have another set of wheels as flats were the order
of the day. (one puncture during the pre ride briefing...NEVER saw
that before.)
The Cat 5 race started quick, as they do,
with the tentative race "plan" being Marcos and I keeping James up
front and safe for as long as possible. This plan worked well for the
most part with Team Velo Wrench dishing out healthy doses of pain for the first
part of the race. Then, James "manamal" Swift then took control
on the second part of the race to finishing on the podium 3rd and Marcos
rolling in to finish a respectable 37th and myself 39th.
-Mike”
Report by Marcos
Marerro Elite 5s:
“Mike and I were in the main group trying to
be there for James which was going really well until the end, I used my last
match the 2nd lap during the 2/3 attacks in the hills about 2 miles from the
finish. It was an awesome experience and I’m glad I can say I have my first
race out the way. Thanks for all the support from our fellow teammates
cheering us on while we crossed the finish line! Good stuff James and
Mike. I finished 35th out of 65 riders.
–Marcos”
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| James Swift 3rd Place Elite 5s Bariani Road Race |
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