[GW] Woods

[Dan Schueller]

In the Masters 4/5 we had 3 in the top seven which was exceeeelent. 
Before the race I made a pact with a Birchwood rider I know (Tom
Russell) who is very strong but has no sprint.  We planned to break away
on the first hill and time trial together to the finish (which would
avoid a pack sprint for him and most likely give me the win).  The field
was large so I started at the front to avoid congestion.  Soon after the
first turn Tom Russell went to the front and rode hard at the yellow
line so I got behind him.  By the second turn 5 of us (including 3
Flanders) had a gap.  So I went to the front, rode hard into the wind
which dropped 2 Flanders.  We, including Tom Pletcher from Flanders had
a break but not too big of one.  I was asked a couple times if we
shouldn't ease up but I said no, lets keep going as we may have a few
blockers back there.  Our 3-man break then dangled not too far off the
front until the big climb when Tom and I accelerated and dropped the
remaining Flanders (Tom Pletcher).  

So Tom and I rotated nicely in our 2-man break until we were caught by
3 (2 Flanders and Tim Laberge from SPBRC) with 8 miles to go.  Half way
up the final hill one Flanders flatted and the other (Pletcher) dropped.
 With a quarter mile to go Birchwood led on the far right with Laberge
behind him.  So I pulled close to Laberge to block him in, with plans to
jump at the last second for the win, hoping Tom could hold on for
second.  But Laberge surprised us by sprinting into the gravel to get
around Tom.  Laberge's jump got him the lead but in the last 30 meters
I put it in overdrive and got around him for the win.  The amazing thing
was that Gopher Tim Smith came from the pack and passed Pletcher
(Flanders) up the hill to take 4th.  

The weather (and of course the win) made Ken Woods much more fun this
year.  See you at the CC ride tomorrow.  On May 8 I won't do the CC
ride because I'm going to try and win the Cat 4 Opus race, and then
upgrade to a 3 after that.