So many challenges with today’s second short TT of the 2021 season. First, there were all the locusts in the road to avoid. Then there was the hail followed by the massive fissure that opened up in the road near Depot Road in Hatfield. Finally, there was the free ice cream cone give-away at the 5J Creamery. So distracting! Well, you’re right, it really was about the wind, yet again. This year so far, pretty much every day has been about the wind.
Melissa and I happened to get to the start line at the same time, around 2 pm, and she asked if the wind is always this bad in the mid to late spring, given her tendencies to ride indoors on Zwift. I said the last few years have been consistently windy and blamed it all on climate change and made up some stuff about air masses, temperature and pressure gradients. I think she bought it. The strong west wind had just shifted to the northwest so I told her to get going while the going was good. She did, then I did 10 minutes later. It was a cross wind for the first 7 miles and then a full on block head wind for the final 2. Dang! So much for trying to outsmart the wind. Sounds like others had somewhat similar experiences except for perhaps some more favorable conditions later in the afternoon.
Strava times ranged from 3 seconds to 14 seconds faster, with the average around 10.
Here is a link to the series so far:
And finally, today’s results:
1. Carson Poe; Time: 20:44; 26.62 mph; 18 points
2. Zinj Guo; Time: 21:46; 25.36 mph; 17 points
3. Jonathan O’Keeffe; Time: 22:06; 24.98 mph; 16 points
4. Kevin Weinman; Time: 22:08; 24.94 mph; 15 points
5. Frank Sleegers; Time: 22:22; 24.68 mph; 14 points
6. Andy MacDonald; Time: 23:03; 23.95 mph; 13 points
7. Melissa Warwick; Time: 23:04; 23.93 mph; 12 points
8. Henry van den Broek; Time: 23:12; 23.79 mph; 11 points
9. Madeline Nagy; Time: 23:31; 23.47 mph; 10 points
10. David Goodwin; Time: 24:01; 22.98 mph; 9 points
11. Eric Winkler; Time: 24:18; 22.72 mph; 8 points
12. Chris Armen; Time: 24:22; 22.65 mph; 7 points
13. Henry Wheaton; Time: 24:53; 22.18 mph; 6 points
14. Michael Bello; Time: 25:14; 21.88 mph; 5 points
15. Tim Pitkin; Time: 25:39; 21.52 mph; 4 points
16. Cindy White; Time: 25:51; 21.35 mph; 3 points
17. Donna Wilson; Time: 26:07; 21.14 mph; 2 points
18. Roger Stawasz; Time: 26:09; 21.11 mph; 1 points
Next Tuesday (May 25th) is the Pelham to Shutesbury Hillclimb (aka Pelham Hillclimb)
