SyCip Racing Team: Race Report: Bay Area Super Prestige #1

Bay Area Super Prestige #1, Sierra Point, 10/7/07
7th place, Elite Men

Had a pretty mellow week training-wise, so I was hoping for some fresh legs on Sunday. There were forty or more guys at the line when I rolled up to the start. Tom Simpson blessed me with a callup to the front. When we were all set, Funke lit a firecracker and we were off. Lining up on the left turned out to be a mistake, as I got pinched on the inside in the first corner and watched ten guys go right by me. Crap. Okay, run through the first little down-up section, back on the bike and get to work. Lap two, I'd moved up to around tenth, and was sitting on a couple guys and waiting for a good spot to come around. Here comes Rich Maile barreling up from behind. Rich usually races 35+ and was killing everyone in his race until he flatted out. I guess he hadn't had enough and jumped into the Elite race. He proceeds to come around without missing a beat, and I know this is my best shot at continuing to move up without destroying myself. So I jump on and we ride away from the guys I was with. A lap and a half later, Rich rides me off his wheel and keeps going forward. Half a lap later, I uncross my eyes and spot Aaron Kereluk just ahead, coming back to me. I latch on, get a break for a lap, and get my head together. Rich is up ahead 10-15 seconds running in sixth. Kereluk and I are sitting seventh and eighth. Looking back, I see Aaron O'Dell coming up smoothly. I didn't want to be riding with Kereluk when O'Dell caught on. That would have been two Rocklobsters against one Sycip. So I rolled around Kereluk and got on the gas. I managed to ride away from him about two-thirds of a lap later. Meanwhile Rich has popped and comes back past me and then O'Dell and Kereluk. So I'm riding sixth at that point. O'Dell makes it up to my wheel a half a lap later, with about four laps to go at that point. He rests for a bit, comes around and digs again. I hang on his wheel for about a lap when the rubber band finally snaps and he rides away. The last three laps, I hang in there, try to be smooth and stay out in front of Kereluk and Maile. Roll across the line for seventh. Easily my best result at a Pilarcitos race. Psyched.

-Aron