RMR Criterium, Saturday March 30

Aaron Branham scores a 2nd place for Zanconato Racing!

Nice Weather. Good to be working the cobwebs out of the legs a bit after a few days off the bike. This is a local training race, but it's still fun to don the racer boy spandex and play make believe...for the Salt Lake City "World Championships"!!  Everyone's a rock star right? :) Anyway, Aaron pulled out a few stops and easily managed a podium 2nd place finish, just getting pipped at the line by a guy he towed around for the last two laps. Nicely done Aaron.

Mid race, coming around for yet another photo op, a bit of a break away going on here. Aaron in light blue Zanc kit (we're anxiously awaiting delivery of the official black team Zanconato racing kit...back in black baby!). That's me in the "see no evil, hear no evil 90's" Motorola jersey.   -Nothing exciting going on here folks...just move along.

Aaron coming in for the Sprint finish...lost first position by a matter of inches. Next time Aaron...next time...

RMR Criterium, Tuesday April 2

Mark Otterson scores a 1st place for Zanconato Racing!

Sorry, no pics this time... It was Dave Baker, Mark Otterson, and myself. This time the race was in the evening. I decided to ride to the race course after work from downtown..a short 11 miles. Problem is, procrastinator that I am, I put off leaving work until the last minute and had to hurry it up on the ride out. A good headwind didn't help matters. Rode up to the start line just in time to say hi to Mark and Dave.

We had the usual suspects in our flite - starting to recognize faces now. Absent was the big clyde who seems averse to ever riding in the hoods or drops, taking pulls, or even getting into the pace line. He just seems content to sit out there to the side while the rest of us rotate in the pace line. Weird. The thing is...he's pretty strong and I won't deny that I've taken a few lazy breaks behind his wheel. He breaks a lot of wind (no, not that kind silly) ...like Moses parting the Red Sea.  Ok, I digress. Back to the race. 

Anyway, Mark pulled for a lap or two, I took a few turns at the front, and so did Dave. Mark did a good job settling things down from the get go. Big wide sweeping turn..watch out for that storm drain in the middle...back stretch...a few pot holes, but more or less uneventful until you get to the s-turn (I call it a "chicane" because it makes me feel euro-cool). Post S-turn there's another straightaway, then a sprint around that hair pin turn I mentioned in a past post and every one re-groups for a nice recovery ride into the headwind. Rinse-Lather-Repeat. Second to last lap, a skinny guy (i.e., not me) took off and Mark responded. Mark is a strong rider...don't mess with him.  Heh, just kidding -he's the nicest guy in the world...unless you are cheeky enough to attack when he's in the same peloton you are. So that pretty much ruined any semblance of organization going on with several others trying to follow, lots of gaps, others sitting in (like Dave and I...but I won't kid anyone, I couldn't follow if I tried). It was  pretty clear Mark was going to own this thing so Dave and I went into 2 person TT mode to bridge up to the chasing group. We just wanted to get back on before the final stretch. Thanks to some incredible pulls by Dave and taking a few turns myself, we were able to do just that, so I'll count the race as a success for all of us.  I have no idea where we placed...but what matters is Mark's nice win!