Last weekend Brian Alferman, Austin Allison, Nolan Froese, Terry Kennan, Tim Kakouris and I did the Tour of St. Louis and it went pretty well for us. We knew going in to the races that we had to race for breaks because both crits were flat without many corners. Saturday at the Carondelet Park criterium the race started fast and about 10 minutes in I put in big counter-attack and after being off for a lap guys started coming across to form a 20 man break with three THF riders in it. With such a big break Austin, Terry and I had to stay vigilant and at the 30 minute mark a group of four with Terry in it got away. That group of four lapped the field and around the hour mark the rest of the group got caught. So we all worked to set Terry up but in the end we couldn’t get it right and Terry ended up second.
That afternoon in the time trial Nolan got a very good third place against some really good time trialists.
So going in to the Forest Park crit on Sunday we didn’t have much a shot at winning the overall so we raced for a break. It was really fast with nothing going and the whole team just rode at the front marking moves and trying to get away. About 40 minutes in I attacked and stayed out front for about five laps and when I got caught Nolan launched a perfect counter-attack that formed the winning five man move. The rest of the team rode at the front in case Nolan’s group got caught, but it stayed away and Nolan got second on the day and ended up second overall for the weekend. Terry got ninth on the day in the field sprint.
Brian Dziewa
Two day omnium.
Day 1 – The Criterium was 10, 90-degree corners in 1 mile with two blocks up hill. When I rolled to the line, everyone was line up, but I was still able to start front row. This was huge, as people began getting dropped 4 minutes into the race!! I followed the first two moves, but it became painfully obvious that I had to meter out my efforts; otherwise I would become the next to be dropped. I followed the important moves, and stayed near the front, and that’s where I was with 1 lap to go. I had a chance to move up with 6 corners to go, but decided to slot in as opposed to going into a downhill corner 6 wide. I was passed by one other rider between there and the line, and finished up 10th on day and stood 10th overall going into the road race.
Day 2 – Road Race. The flier said (4) 20-mile laps; the laps were actually 27 miles long for a grand total of 108 miles of racing in 40mph winds. As it was the day before, you needed to stay close to the front. The first break of the day started from the word go and lasted the first lap and a half of the race. When this break was being pulled back, I actually ended up in the 3rd group on the road. I thought the top 15-20 was far enough up front, but I was wrong. Two gaps opened in front of me; I was able to close one, but not the other. After a half lap of chasing, we regained contact with what was now the field due to the first group catching the break. Another two laps of hard racing went by with attacks and counter-attack and the next move that went was after the feed zone. The feed zone had a tail wind, so speeds were the highest through there. I held onto some good wheels, and made my way up front. At the end of the straight, I turned the corner and continued to roll. I didn’t attack, I just wanted to get back up to speed, but I ended up helping start the break. It was two of us to start, but we had three others join us within the next few miles. We continued to work for the next 30 miles and made it to the line a few minutes ahead of the field. The three late joiners to the break had a little more in their legs, so ended up fourth out of the break of 5. I was happy with the way it went, and didn’t feel that I could have done anything different to change the outcome of the race.
After the final point standings were figured, I ended up 9th overall. Great weekend of racing, which makes the next few weeks of training all the easier!!
-Brian
Under beautiful Arizona skies Brian Alfremann and Pete Lopinto captured the first win of the season for the THF Cycling Team.
In typical Arizona fashion the race got off to a fast start and nobody wanted to let any of the early moves gain any serious ground. Brian Spent the early part of the race covering the moves that looked good and patrolled the front so Pete could save his legs for the second half of the race. This also gave Pete a chance test out his legs and figure out the tricky downhill finish by grabbing some primes in the early going. At the halfway mark a serious move of 6 guys got away with all the major teams represented. The seasoned criterium racer Lopinto sensed this may have been the move of the day and before the group got too much of an advantage he leaped from the field to join them. Unfortunately the combination wasn’t right and their disorganization allowed the entire field to reel them back with about 20 minutes left in the race. Once the field was together with only a handful of laps remaining all the signs pointed to a field sprint. The Waste Management Team had lined up at the front and Pete got himself into position behind their lead out with just a few laps remaining. a half lap to go. With half a lap to go Brian found Pete at the front and the tandem went over the top of the lead out. As Brian started to run out of gas Pete made a quick jump for the corner and found a nice outside line then gobbled up the last 300 meters on his own to cross the line first.
First race of the season for the THF Racing team. The roster was Stefano Barberi, Brian Alferman and Pete Lopinto for the 3 day stage race in and around the Phoenix area.
Stage 1 time trial for 22k on an out-and-back flat course in Buckeye under some unusual cold and rainy weather. Stefano had only been on his Orbea Ordu TT bike once but still managed 8th place in what was his first race of the year. He finish only 33 seconds off the winner and was excited to get the season under way with a top ten result. Without TT bikes Pete and Brian used the TT to wake up their legs and finished in 77th and 88th.
Stage 2 road race in Casa Grande, 5.5 laps for a total of 90 miles After an hour of racing a break got off with 14 guys and quickly shot up to over 2 minutes. The THF boys weren’t on their toes and missed the moved. Fortunately the teams worried about the overall classification worked on the front and brought the break back with less then a lap to go. With about 10 miles a break of 2 rolled off and the Jittery Joe’s team began the chase. The gap didn’t come down quick enough so Brian and Pete threw their efforts in to help after Stefano gave the word he had good legs and wanted a shot at the finish. Brian and Pete worked hard and the break came back with about 2 miles to go. Stefano went for it with the last mile on the hill and got off the front with another rider and blew the field to bits. The attack came just a tad too early as he was passed in the last 200 meters and came in 6th place.
Stage 3 criterium in downtown Phoenix for 70 minutes. The race started off fast and pretty much stayed that way the whole day. Stefano, Pete and Brian kept their eye on the important moves with Stefano giving his all the second half to get a break going. Nothing would stick and a crazy field sprint was on tap. Pete battled away with the Rock Racing train and did his best to hold his ground among all the madness in the last 2 laps. He came into the last corner a few spots too far back but still managed a 9th place finish on the stage.
Overall the team was happy with their first race of the season with top 10 finishes in each stage and Stefano at 9th place overall. Brian gained more experience during this weekend than he ever had before and looks forward to keeping the ball rolling.
Sunday was my first race of the year. The Old Town Criterium was contested on a .8 mile, 10 corner crit and luckily there were no crashes and everyone was on their best behavior. Even though there were 10 corners, the course was remarkably fluid and fast. Like most people, I expected a break to happen, so I was on the lookout from the gun. I was in the first 5 moves of the day, then became more selective with what I spent my energy. I focused on the Successful Living team of Curtis Gunn and some other guy. I knew nothing would get away without them, and knew Curtis was super-strong from the Shoot Out, so I tried to stick with him as opposed to the other guy I didn’t know. I shadowed Curtis a couple times, and then I thought I got lucky by being good side of the road when his teammate went, so I went again. As per the first 20 min of the race, nothing got to far, but you can tell what’s coming. The next little move went with 4 guys including Gunn, and that was the day.
It’s funny how you can tell when the winning break gets away, as soon as it’s gone. I had worked hard to be in it, and I didn’t make it. I had a second chance that I blew as well. The Trek/Landis team worked for a few laps and brought the break within 10 seconds. I was thinking this would be the time to jump, but I figured it would come back and I should just sit a few wheels deep and save some energy. That window to jump was opened, and I didn’t take it. Shortly thereafter, the elastic to the break finally broke, and the top 4 places were gone for good.
Some of us continued to work, try to get away, and make life interesting; but nothing stuck. A prime was called with 6 laps to go, I sat in and rode the waves, and crossing the start/finish line I hit out on my own. I threw down for about a lap before being brought into the fold. I should have hit again a few laps later and taken my chances, but it seems everyone had their hearts set on a field sprint.
1 lap to go sitting 5th wheel, ½ lap to go sitting 3rd wheel, 4 corners to go sitting 15 wheel. (see rant below). Moved up on the back straight so coming out of the last corner I was 8th and that’s where I stayed. Didn’t pass anyone, and I wasn’t passed. 12th overall on the day.
Besides missing the obviously winning break, I was excited about the season’s first race. Form felt good, I didn’t crash, and left excited about the next block of training and racing. Valley of the Sun is next week with Pete and Stefano coming down. I’m looking forward to meeting and racing with two new teammates. Check out the list of registered riders and keeps tabs on us at the Valley of the Sun right here at THFRACING.com
