Gloucester (Glosta)
Great Brewer’s Gran Prix of Gloucester – Race report by Trina and Edwin
Drove to Gloucester Wednesday, from Burlington Vermont. Slotted into a nice rental house 300 meters from the race venue, nice bike wash and storage. Went for an easy spin north along cape ann Thursday, sunny and clear. Quite a high rent district with big mansions on the ocean, big lots and private beaches. Like Montecito but right on the Atlantic.
Tried to preride the course on Friday but they did not have it taped until about 6:00 pm, so we rode on the course, backwards, crosswise, lost, confused, never quite sure where it went.
Drove our rental car down to the venue Friday night and parked it right at the finish line with all the tools, water bottles, trainer, extra clothes and walked home.
The mother of all storms rolled in Friday nite and we woke to a torential sideways downpour. The course turned into a huge mud bowl, which made most of the ups and downs unrideable. The huge runup got absolutey greasy. 6 inches of soft mud. had to go slow and step in foot prints or on your face.
Gloucester is part of the Verge series so Edwin got called up based on last weeks placings, on the front row, called up 6th. 84 starters in the master 45+, Edwin came 6th again after a great start and a dropped chain on the first lap.
The womens call up is based on UCI points from last year and the series finishes, so Katrina started on the third row, in powerful field. A first lap crash took Katrina down, and she ended up about 20th. By the time the women started what had been all nice green grass Friday was completely mud, having seen at least 5 races including the senior 3′s with 100+ riders. Plenty of time with the inside foot clippred out, slip sliding along the outsloped turns. Natashia Elliot won.
It may not rain for the Sunday race but there is no grass left on the course so it should be interesting.