Racing
Thanx from Tim and, below, a wrapup by Glenn
Thanks to the FLCC from the Chris Cookies / Swan Cycles Racing Team
By Tim Tobbe
The 2002 race season is coming to a close as mornings are colder and
suddenly darkness is an issue at the end of the Tuesday night races. Our
team this year has had one of the best years I can remember. We have brought
in some new riders on the category 4 squad, which are gaining experience
as they move up through the ranks. Our category 3 squad has had an exceptional
year. From a macro view, the major highlights are:
- 1st place Syracuse Criterium
- Must also note we took 3rd, 4th, 5th
and 8th !!
- 2nd and 10th place in GC at The International
Stage Race (Tour de Toona).
- 2nd, 5th and 7th at the Capital Region
RR.
- 1st and 3rd at Chris Thater Criterium.
You can track the team, use a comprehensive race calendar and utilize
other cycling related links at our website "SpokePost.com".
However, believe it or not the point of this letter is not to display
the results of our season. The point of this letter is to THANK the FLCC
for allowing us to volunteer at the early season Hollenbecks road race
and capture some support from the club. The club has allowed us to race
under its umbrella for three seasons now and the team is very appreciative
of that. The team would also like to acknowledge and thank Glenn Swan
and Swan Cycles for its continued support and guidance throughout each
race season. Because of support and relationships such as these, our riders
have the opportunity to be part of a fun team.
Reflections
By Glenn Swan
It's over. The trash-talk is done. History has been made. The name Mike
Jones is on the heel of the famous footwear. (and Justin Thomson on the
Birk)
A very strong field of riders from Binghamton and Syracuse (and Texas!)
joined the Ithaca hometown crew, with a solid bunch from Cornell and it
made for a rather high powered race. We blazed across Midline and around
to 79 with nobody able to escape the pack. Up Ellis Hollow South, Mike
Jones and Chris Shaffer got a dangerous gap, so the other strong climbers
savaged themselves to keep it under control. I was hurting by the top
and looked back, expecting to see the field shattered from the chase.
Instead, what I saw was an unbroken line of determined faces. We dropped
nobody ! This was going to be one tough race ! Hurd Rd. threw a curve
ball at us, as the town had just chip-sealed the new tarmac with fine
gravel. Tires were spinning and more than a few bad words may have been
spoken. Shaffer opened a gap quickly. "Not to worry, he'll blow soon at
that pace..." Jones took off across the gap. "Danger" Myers went into
the gap. "This is not good" Chad Butts and I were leading a strong group
of wind-sucking climbers and noting that it was long past time for Shaffer
to blow up and he was still getting further ahead of us. To make matters
worse, Jones had linked up with Shaffer and Myers was almost there. If
they worked together, it could be curtains for the rest of us. I stepped
things up on the false flats and powered away over the final rise, blowing
by a spent Myers but Shep was inspired and caught back on just about the
time I linked up with Jonesy and Shaffer. We hit Midline and flew on with
everybody still working hard. Jones was lamenting that he wasn't really
wanting to work that hard, and maybe he should have stayed home. (He had
received orders from his team director, Wheelworks Cannondale leader Chris
Peck, who never quite got his name on the slipper during his Cornell tenure,
that the team needed a big win to end the year and keep the sponsors happy....
so he was forced to endure the pain and persevere.) There were some chasers
within sight, but nobody was going to cross the gap to us at the rate
Shaffer was driving us, and as we hit Snyder Hill I was thinking I would
have a better chance waiting for a sprint than trying to outclimb the
guys I had been chasing up the previous hill. The pace was hard, but not
brutal, and nobody launched any attacks. Shep may have been suffering
some intimidation, as he faded on the final pitch. Chris was unfazed by
the competition and powered along. He jumped first in the sprint and was
strong all the way to the line, but Mike was just too fast. We were all
within a few bike lengths, but the order was clear and the boy from Harpursville
wasn't going to have to search the roadside on his way home for some substitute
piece of used footwear...he had the real thing !
After we all made it back to East Hill Plaza I was amazed at the good
feelings everyone was sharing. Congratulations on a race well done, and
congratulations and thanks flowing all around for all the good times shared
during the long season, and recognitions of tremendous improvement that
we brought out of each other through our weekly tests. The Tuesday Night
group is a pretty special bunch of people. A rich tradition we have benefited
from. I suspect I speak for everybody when I say "Thank you all".
Glenn
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Newsletter
-- Fall 2002