Left to right: Marcus Smith, Daniel Tisdell, James LaBerge, Chris LaBerge, Dean LaBerge (Masters); Joel Shaffer; Charlie Avis; and Andrew Lanier (missing Edan Levanton and Davis Bentley)
Now, that's a winning gap! (Charlie storming the 15-18 field)
On this Memorial Day the San Jose Bicycle Club promoted a full day of bicycle racing including my first ever 35+/ 45+ combined field. I've raced a good number of 45+/ 55+ races but not one like this. It's a race within a race.
Brian Bosch (Sierra Pacific) gave himself a 600 meter leadout for the win. Yikes! Former US Pro National Champion and former US Postie Eddy Gragus was visiting from Colorado and held on for 2nd, while Friday Night Track Promoter Michael Hernadez nipped me for 3rd. But wait, I placed 4th, er, 1st in the M45 race. Dean scored 5th in the M35 race. Kevin, Steve, Wyatt and Mike laid it all down for the team, but we could not deliver the much coveted double victory.
Chris and Marcus were up next in the 10 to 12 and 13 to 14 race and Marcus took his first ever field sprint win with a well timed jump.
Finally, the 15-16 and 17-18 year olds took to the start line and quickly reeled off split times that rivaled the best of the day. Their field was shredded, and then the kids took over. Just in a span of the last lap we could see Marcus attacking off the front, then Charlie, Daniel, Joel, James and Andrew winding it up before Joel launched an impressive attack that took him to about 600 meters to go where Charlie immediately attacked and soloed in for the win in the 17-18 race. The chasers gave it a go but only towed James closer to the line as he took the 15-16 win for a total of four wins on the day.
Prayers and get well wishes go out to David Tisdell, Daniel's brother who crashed in the 10-14 year old race.
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