Winning – The New Jersey Criterium State Championship

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I didn’t want to go to the race. I woke up and felt like I shouldn’t go. I was tired. I didn’t ride much last week. It would be great to just hang around the house all day. The excuses were pouring out of me faster than 20-something’s emptying a bar when the lights come on.
It was Sunday, July 12th, and the race is The New Jersey State Criterium Championship held in Basking Ridge, NJ. I was entered for the Cat 4 race, which was scheduled to start at 11:45 am, and required me to travel about two hours north of where I live in southern New Jersey (race is 2 hrs away, my limit is like 45 minutes: excuse #50).
I didn’t want to go. I wasn’t really feeling it, but it’s a huge race in my neck of the woods, and every guy who takes racing even somewhat seriously wants a chance to win that jersey. I include myself in that group, even though I really did not feel so great about going on Sunday, and I was not happy about the thought of travelling and racing for an 11th place result. If I’m going, I want to do well. Who doesn’t? As I have mentioned before, racing is a very important part of my training for cyclocross season. That, combined with the fact that this was a big race, got me out of bed and ready to make the trek to central Jersey.
My Friend picked me up, and we talked all the way up about just stuff in general. We both had the pre-race jitters, but laughed about it. We also talked about The Tour and how much we can’t stand Tejay van Garderen. When we pulled up to the race, the ambulances where there in full-force; a huge crash left seven women on the road, and four had to get loaded up and looked after. Man, nothing makes you want to race less than seeing a pretty girl’s teeth decorating the pavement. Regardless, I warmed up and got ready to race. At about 12:30 we went off.
I’m not going to lie…I was kind of sketched. The course was a large oval with a big ring climb and a nice downhill. The downhill looked like it was paved in the 1820’s by a blind asphalter with a penchant for creating large ruts with a smattering of loose stones everywhere. The first three times I descended, my back wheel slipped out. I thought, “Oh cool, so this is where we are going to crash.” After a couple of more laps, I settled in. The plan was for me to hang in the back. My teammates would drive the pace, and at the end of the race they would come get me and put me into position for the bunch sprint. We went around and around, with me hanging in the back, not burning any matches. My team did an awesome job of setting the tone. I heard a crash or two, but they didn’t seem too serious.
My teammate suggested I take the outside line on the descent, saying it’s the fastest and would put me in a good position. I took his advice, and man he was right. With three laps to go, I hit the descent on the outside line and it was much faster. So much faster that I accidentally ended up in the front of the race. Momentum pushed me up the hill and I had a nice gap, about six or seven bike lengths. At that moment, I had ultimate clarity and I heard something whisper in my ear “GOOOOO!”

I went. I pedaled hard, thinking, “Man get to the descent.” I knew if I could get to the descent, I’d have a chance of holding this breakaway. I could smoke that hill while the rest of the group tapped its brakes as I widened my gap. I get to the descent and flew down going over 40mph. I get to the hill and I hammer up it. But bad news for me.
I pop.
I’m slowing, and I know the group is gaining on me. I get my water bottle and start to drink when I hear, “WHAT ARE YOU DOING!? DROP THAT BOTTLE AND GET YOUR ASS MOVING!” I don’t see who said it, but damn they are right! I throw the bottle, pro-style, and move. I get to the line: One lap to go!
I hit the descent again, HARD!
I get up the hill, and just pedal. And then it starts. I know I’m slowing and that the group is gaining. I put my head down and hammer. It’s like I’m in a dream. I feel like I am riding through muck.
My legs weigh 1,000 pounds, but in my head I hear my inner voice say, “This is it. You want it. It’s yours now go get it!”
I hammer.
The group gets closer and closer and closer, but so does the line. I know I’m going to make it. I smile as I cross the line and win the NJ State Criterium championship on a solo break that started three laps ago. Now all I can think of is, “Man get this bike off of me!”
I have never worked so hard in a race in my life, and I have never ever felt this good about a result before.
New Jersey
I didn’t feel good earlier in the day and at the start, I didn’t want to be there. My teammate, with whom I drove and shared this info with asked, “So how you feeling now?” Ha, man, how else could I feel? Pretty much the best day of my life when it comes to sport. I never had an experience like that before and who knows if it will happen again.
Shout-outs to the AW Racing team, Kevin Saber, who took 3rd place overall and State of NJ 2nd, Mike Lepre and Sean Mooney, and Greg Cordasco the race promoter and owner of Liberty Cycle. Also, thanks to Yehudah Perlowitz who took a ton of pictures and let me use them without paying!
(On the overall win podium, with Sean McTearnen 2nd and Kevin Saber 3rd photo by Greg Cordasco)


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