RACE REPORT: Michigan State RR & ITT, U. Michigan Crit
The Team: Justin Miller, Michelle Hance, Jason Sohn, Christopher Anthony, Jacob Shupe, Nathan Gross, Mark Zhao, and Mitch Huffman
We would like to thank Stephan and Ryan for their kind hospitality in accommodating us.
Standout Results
- Jason Sohn (Men's B): 1st, Crit
- Michelle Hance (Women's A): 2nd, RR, 4th, Crit
- Justin Miller (Men's A): 9th, RR; 7th, Crit
- Jacob Shupe (Men's A): 4th, ITT
- Christopher Anthony (Men's B): 6th, Crit
- Mark Zhao (Men's C): 6th, Crit
- Nathan Gross (Men's D): 8th, Crit
Write-Up
by Jason Sohn
Men's B / Women'A field on the dirt section.
photo by Fred Feng
Dirt
The long rough dirt sections of the road race course made for a radically different racing style. Opinions were divided about this unique feature. Mark Zhao remarked, "racing on dirt roads on Paris-Roubaix weekend is a special kind of feeling. I loved it", while Jacob Shupe, who got a flat in a critical part of the road race, succinctly expressed his frustration- "I'm done." However, there was universal consensus about the nice weather which meant that the dirt sections were in the best possible condition. Justin Miller exclaimed "The weather was amazing!"
No Marian, No Lindenwood
Jacob Shupe (Men's A) noted that "without Marian and Lindenwood there was not as much control of the peloton". This meant that "it was Wisconsin vs. everyone in the Men's A races", according to Justin Miller. He adds that "even with an organized paceline, chasing the Wisconsin breakaway was too little too late."
photo by Jason Sohn
Hard on the Equipment
The weekend was marred with flats, mechanicals and crashes- we counted nearly ten punctures in the team of eight. Jacob Shupe, racing in the Men's A crit, bumped wheels with another rider and broke two of his spokes. Luckily, his wheel held up and he finished with a spare wheel. In the same race, Justin Miller also got a flat. He says, "I took my first free lap in a crit but was given someone else's wheel. It may seem nice to get a lap off, but it definitely takes more out you than you think. I got lucky and the pack slowed at the top of the hill so I was able to make contact".
Teammates help Jason who crashed and could not pedal
photo by Mark Zhao
Jason Sohn crashed heavily in the dirt section of the Men's B road race and sustained numerous abrasions. His bike did not fare well either, but with some questionable repairs like bending back a warped chainring with a monkey wrench, it was made ridable. Determined to go on, and with the care and support of the team overnight, Jason got on his bike the next day and won the Men's B crit.
Learning Experience
Michelle Hance, who just upgraded from Women's B to A, reflected, "I learned how to race in a larger field where everyone is stronger and more experienced than I am. Good experience for when we have the varsity teams back in our races in the coming weeks". Mitch Huffman said, "I learned how to pace myself, save energy, and move up in a pack". Mark Zhao had a more specific lesson in mind: "Make sure your bottle cage is tight before a bumpy race".
Lining up for the Individual Time Trial
photo by Jason Sohn
Laughs
Mitch pinning his jersey and number to the carpet was unanimously considered the funniest thing that happened last weekend.
"Andres' heart is like a rat's" -Mark Zhao
"Michelle, you're huge!" -Mark Zhao
"No, I want to sleep on the floor, so if I don't do well tomorrow I can blame it on not sleeping well." - Nathan Gross