Mason Lake #3 Cat 3 Race Report

Well, I think there is some rule or divine intervention out there which always makes you race Mason Lake as your first race of the season. I tried to get around it this year but it kept coming back. Steve, Olivier, and I showed up to the course to find sunny skies and temperatures climbing into the low 50s. We got rock star parking but then found out the guy next to us had just broken his collarbone in the Cat 4 race (poor IJM guy). He was walking around the car with one shoulder obviously a few inches lower than the other. He was totally dazed. The best (and worst) part was one of his teammates who was way too excited at the opportunity to use the shoulder splint from his first-aid kit. Apparently, it was exciting that he got to use it (after having to read the instructions). I think the broken collarbone guy just wanted to the f- out of there and to the hospital. Being good and superstitious racers, the three of us all tried to ignore the goings-on next to us. Things got better when they left and Don showed up. On to the race. 5 laps in all. Some wind on the front stretch. We raced well and were in all the moves of any significance for the first 3.5 laps. In fact, Apex was one of the main aggressors in the race. It was great to finally get to stretch the legs for the first time this year. SteveO did excellent in his first race as a 3. He was off the front in a few groups a couple of times. It Olivier and I each had solo moves into the wind for while but no one came up to work with us. Cucina proceeded to chase down every break that they had a rider in. For the breaks without Cucina riders, I think they let those go. At 3.5 laps just before the fire station, First Rate setup a move from about 10 riders back in the field. I read it and followed them off the front. The one guy let go a massive acceleration. It was huge. I was ready and jumped but never got to his wheel. I was just a little too tired at this point. As it turns out, this is the move that stuck. He soloed in for the next 1.5 laps. Very impressive effort. First Rate had something like 8 guys in the race - by far the largest and strongest team. Carter had 3. IJM had a few. First Rate played their cards well and got a deserved win. They guy was strong and I think was well rested. We needed a few more Apex kits out there to really match their numbers. Regardless, it was well played and a good race up to that point. After that, First Rate blocked and many guys were too tired to work so the pace bogged down and the back stretch sucked. With a full week of riding ahead of me, I sat up before the sprint but it was f-ed up just like the Mstr's C/Ds. So, no places for Apex. That's coming. -Ben