Race Report by Karen Ulrich
The neutralized descent was eerie—men coming out of the fog with bikes on their shoulders announcing their crashes as our pack braked around the hairpin turn and eased up Tiorati at an even pace. The pack pretty much stayed together on the first lap, as the second descent wasn’t much thinner than the first. Readying for a jump on the second lap (where the field split last year) some came out of the turn and fought for position going into Tiorati. The pace of the climb set by the 1-2-3’s and few 4’s announced who’d be sprinting to the finish before the final lap had even begun. All jumps were quickly swallowed, with the exception of a rider or two who dangled briefly off the front.
Your protagonists are in there somewhere.
Coming around Tiorati Circle, the pack strung out along the lake and bunched up again, when the riders who had gotten gapped on the climb rejoined. Nearing the feed zone, lost in the fog ‘til it appeared, the pack slowed and sped up again, as riders jockeyed towards the front for the 4’s final descent. No matter how much it hurt, it was worth the pain to make up for any time lost on the wet descent as we began our final climb. Again the 1-2-3’s set the pace and attempted a few attacks, once opening a slight gap that was closed by Sleepy Hollow’s Mimi Boyle (2nd last year), who finally appeared at the front on the final lap. Unsure if the 1-2-3’s were going to let the 4’s go, position again became crucial after Tiorati Circle, and even more so once we passed Sebago Beach (where they let the 4’s go last year). Mimi took the lead for the entire stretch towards the finish, once offered a breather by Team Bikery’s Carol Picot. It seemed the 1-2-3’s had let us go, though they weren’t far behind.
The fog, even thicker now, warped all perception of distance. At the feed zone with the finish nowhere in sight, Comedy Central’s Karen Ulrich jumped a kilometer too soon and was passed at the finish by Boyle and Tenafly’s Emma Nelson, who took first and second. Picot followed with fourth. Relieved the race was over (and finished safely!), the 4’s pulled to the right as the 1-2-3’s zipped by for their final round.