Sussex Crit

Today Nate, Mitch, Gus and I loaded the the bikes on top of the car and headed to the Sussex crit. I have to say that the Cafe Hollander team put a nice race course together for a awesome up hill finish. But back tot the racing Nate, Mitch and Riley toed the line for the Jr race. It was a nice 24 racer field today and that meant more IS Corp racers to race against. Right at the start the race was fast as the IS Corp was trying to shell the others and it kind of worked as the others fell off the pack and Nate was there and chased the others down to be in the break of 4 for the last few laps of the race. Nate jumped early at the bottom of the hill and then popped big and rolled in for 4th. Mitch had a little trouble breathing as the air was hot and heavy and fell off the pack and rolled in to just finish. Riley did his first race and found out that the pace is fast and you need your big chain ring. He told us right before the start that he couldn't shift into the big ring and it was to late for Jeff to fix it as he would have had it done in 10 seconds. But now Riley knows that even the Jr road racing is not easy and he needs to ride more and race more.

Right after getting his bike rolled out for the Jr gearing he and Mitch toed the line for the Cat 4 race. Nate sat up in the front for a while and then about half way through the race Nate was looking like he was ready to throw in the towel and he told us after the race was over that he was telling himself just stay in and finish as he just wanted to quit. But he was sitting good the last 2 laps and when the race came into the final turn up the hill he was in 10th and just hit the gas and by the time he came to the top he was in 3rd for the finish. He looked good and I always think that it is cool that he is Jr geared and keeps up at the speeds that are over 30 mph as he is spun out big and still hangs in. Mitch again had the breathing issues and was down a lap and finished the race. By the time it was over is was at least 85 degrees and hot out. But another great weekend of racing in the books. See you at the track Tuesday.

Riley looking cooked after his first road race.
Nate in the middle of the cat 4 race.
Nate sitting the Cat 4's, and Sarah right inside of Nate.
Mitch rolling past for the finish of the cat 4's.
Nate coming across the line for his 3rd place finish in the cat 4 race.
Nate in the Jr break.
Mitch rolling on for the finish in the Jr race.
Nate coming in for the 4th place finish in the Jr race.
Nate and Mitch at the start of the cat 4 race.
Nate and Mitch at the start of the Cat 4 race.
Nate and Mitch getting ready to race.
Nate, Mitch and Riley at the start of the Jr race.
Getting ready for the Jr race. Nice size Jr field for once.
Nate on the first lap looking for the next person to try to take a flyer.
After the up hill Nate went on to close the gap and get into the break that held for the rest of the race.