Stage Racing & Its Addictive Appeal

John Boucher, Troy Barry & Eliot Pitney atop Killington

This past weekend a bunch of us Downeast Racers played stagier and rode the Killington Stage Race (KSR) capably hosted by Gary Kessler, the Killington Mountain area and the gracious people of Vermont. Those who follow Downeast Racing postings know how our trip was highlighted by the dominating performance of Zev Myerowitz in the Cat 4 class with his two stage victories and the garnering of the General Classification, Sprinters and Climbers jerseys. Impressive, yes, but what happens now that Zev moves up a class and faces stiffer competition? As in all sports, as you continue to move up in class you eventually equalize in ability with others. And then the outright victories become more elusive. Think about it - guys ride entire years, heck, careers without a victory. Yet they keep coming back for more and as happy (happier!) as the first day they put their bike on the starting line. Why do you think that is? Well here's a theory - it's the personal victories within the ride that provide so much satisfaction and, yes, elation. Our just concluded KSR experience provides many examples to support this theory. 

Take Matt Moon's ride in the 1st stage of the Pro-1-2 field, the 4x17 mile circuit race with the screamingly fast sprint finish. If one were to peruse Matt's results over the past year they'd see a number of 14th, 25th and such finishes not knowing, and thus not appreciating, that he rode those races in slave service to others on the team. His teammates know his value, note his work ethic and marvel how he can flow through a pack. On Stage 1 Matt was released to race his race and RACE he did - 3rd. 3rd! You'd have to be there to fully understand the value of this finish. You'd have to have ridden in the middle of 80 guys tightly bunched & averaging 41 miles an hour over the final 2 miles to understand how nerve wracking that is. To come in 3rd knowing that you had the speed, skill and NERVE to duke it out is so, so, sooo satisfying. We his teammates, too, were so happy. His witnessing wife & kids - happy. Proud. Matt didn't say but you could tell he was jacked up. Probably too excited to sleep well that night. As an athlete, you live for that emotion.

And Troy Barry's ride on the day 2's Queen Stage provides another example of my theory of the addictive satisfaction of personal victories. Troy and I rode the 40+ category and we kind of pooched Stage 1 by missing the break. Actually there is no "ifs, ands or buts" about our botching it and we were definitely bumming afterwards. Fortunately in sports there is another day, another race and redemption can be attained. In stage racing that redemption can be claimed the next day.  The KSR Queen Stage is "lumpy" with a 7k lump at mile 25 to the KOM line and the finishing 8k, 10% average lump at mile 60. The assemblage of 40+ riders this year was very aggressive and all knew that the trip to the KOM would be vicious as would it be up the multiple hills afterwards. Field splits inevitably happen on hills and you have to be toward the front of the pack to make the break. I was fortunate to be among the 9 guys who crested the KOM hill and felt bad that there was no Troy among us. On we raged and on the following downhill a couple more guys fought their way back to us. No Troy. Keep pedaling. Keep hanging on to the break up the hills. We finally came to a dirt road hill that carried us back to Route 4 and the 9 mile upwind, upgrade slog to the Killington Skystation and the start of the finishing climb. If you didn't make it over the dirt hill with the break, you'd easily lose 15 minutes battling the wind and hill by yourself or in a small shattered, dispirited group. So imagine my joy when halfway up the dirt section I heard, "Hey, how's it going?" and saw Troy's beaming face next to me. Yeah, his smile said it all. The relief, the validation of ability and the internal elation and satisfaction of proving oneself able to overcome mistakes and adversity. And for me having a teammate by my side just amplified everything positive. What a great moment and then later to see Troy battle up the final climb to finish 9th - wow, icing on the cake.  

Well ... no trophies or jerseys for Matt, Troy and we other Downeast Racers but we had plenty of great moments and can say that Zev's victory haul is symbolic of how we feel inside.