Race Report: 2015 ECCC Road Season Weekend 3 (3/21-3/22)

With the last few races of the 2015 ECCC road season coming up, we're here to catch you up with our progress and results so far, starting with the second weekend of racing (officially the third ECCC weekend including the cancelled first weekend).  This weekend, Temple University hosted the Philly Phlyer - a staple of the ECCC calendar - and we were generously hosted by friend and former President Brian Tino.  Due to irregular weekend schedules for some who wanted to race, a regular trip was made out to Philadelphia Friday night in addition to a second batch of racers who came out Saturday night to race on Sunday.  Racing both days were Daniel Lazier and Brian Case in Men's A, Steven Robare and newcomer Christian Ouellette in Men's C, and Kanishka Suwal and Kurt Schlosser in Men's D.  Coming up for Sunday were Ward Prescott and David Schell, both Men's C racers.

Saturday started off with a Team Time Trial, and the team was in action in the Men's C and D categories.  At 14 miles, the course was relatively long for a ECCC TTT.  It was the same course as last year, starting with a descent to the Schuylkill River, where it flattened out and teams followed the road out and back twice before ascending to the finish.  Kanishka and Kurt went off first for Men's D followed by Steven and Christian for Men's C.  All but Steven had never raced a TTT before, so it was time to put the winter's pace-lining work to the test.  Both pairs were passed on course, but both also caught up to teams up the road and put up a fight.  Men's C finished tenth out of fifteen, and Men's D finished seventh out of ten.  The time-trialing was rough around the edges yet definitely a good first experience for Kurt, Kanishka, and Christian.

The "Schuykill Scramble" Circuit Race later in the day also followed last year's course - an approximately 6.5 mile loop that descended to, ran out and back along, and ascended up from the river, with a hilly loop thrown in at the far end of the circuit.  It was slightly chilly yet dry for the start of the Men's D race.  Kanishka finished the 20 miles exactly in the middle of the 26-man D2 field, which was very split by the finish, and Kurt was pulled and placed.  Soon later, Men's C set off for their 26 miles.  Steven and Christian both came through with the pack after the first lap, but it was the hilly back section that did them in on the second and third laps.  Steven hung with who he could, finishing the race at the back of the field, while Christian was pulled and placed.

By the time the Men's A race rolled around, the sun was shining and the temperatures had risen.  Dan stayed tucked in the pack where he needed to be for the 46 miles, handling the hilly and fast sections adeptly.  With one rider finishing a minute and a half off the front, the rest of the group finished strung out and slightly split up.  Dan nabbed a solid 15th-place finish, and Brian was pulled and placed.

Kurt and Kanishka (left to right) warm up for Sunday's criterium, featuring one of our new Cascade fluid trainers!

Sunday's Temple University Criterium also followed last year's course - a classic, four-corner crit right in Temple's campus.  The sun was out again, though it was chilly for the Men's D start.  Throughout the day, a strong headwind along the finishing straight and the straight preceding it proved critical.  Kurt finished in the fourth of four main groups to finish; him and six other racers came in 2:20 back from the front group.  Kanishka was in the majority of the race and was the last rider to be pulled before finishing times were given.

Ward, Steven, Dave, and Christian were at the starting line for the 40-minute Men's C crit.  The first and second-place finishers came through the finish solo, far ahead of the rest of the field.  Ward won the sprint among the five-man group he finished with, coming in just within the top 50% for the race, and Christian also finished with that group.  Steven and Dave were both P&P'd.

Dave, Steven, Christian, and Ward line up for the Men's C criterium at Temple.

Unfortunately, results did not get much better later in the day for the Men's A race.  A lot of heavy-hitters came out to play and enjoy the weather.  Like in the Men's C race, almost half of the starting pack didn't finish the race or was pulled.  Dan and Brian both received a P&P for the day.

Case and Lazer stay warm in the sun before the Men's A criterium.

Despite the lack of results on Sunday, sunny skies, good grillin', and good company - as well as a weekend's worth of solid racing - kept spirits high.

Our cookie-warming system, designed and hand-crafted by the engineers of the Bucknell Cycling Team.

As always, stay tuned as we continue to roll out full-length race reports on the blog, and stay connected by liking our Facebook page.

Brian Case Takes ECCC Yellow Jersey at Boston, Aims to Join Pro Ranks Following Graduation

Despite the snow on Saturday, this past weekend's Boston Beanpot was a breakthrough weekend for one rider in particular.  Veteran Men's A rider, Pittsford native, and senior researcher in the Dr. Mizuki Takahashi Amphibian Research Lab, Brian Case, broke off the front of the field about 30 minutes into Saturday's road race.  Over the remainder of the 42-mile race, he built the gap to over 8 minutes to claim the solo victory.  The next day, he repeated, lapping the criterium field three times before the officials ended the race 30 minutes short of the planned 60 minutes out of pity.  This win cemented Case's lead in an otherwise inconsistent Men's A category, and he now proudly holds the ECCC's yellow jersey for Bucknell leading up to the coming Army Weekend.  When asked about his recent success, Case credits friend and mentor Brian Tino - current UCI Continental pro rider, winner of last year's TD Bank Mayor's Cup, and runner-up for last year's Tour of California KOM jersey.  Tino drove out to Boston from his Philadelphia home to support Case in his historic drive for the yellow jersey.  Following his wins, Case is confident he will retain the yellow jersey, adding that he hopes to go pro this coming summer and train in Europe while simultaneously saving the environment.  His biggest goal though?  "Yeah, I just really look forward to beating Stone in every single Friday Ride mailbox sprint."

Brian Case riding for the USAC Collegiate Varsity program at Bucknell University.