Georgia Cup #7, Dahlonega, GA.

August 12, 2007 on 12:23 am | In Road Racing |

Pooser Podiums in Dahlonega!  8/11-12 /2007

Over the past weekend several BioWheels racers including: myself, Andy Pooser, Daniel Crone, Mike Jackson, and Adam Ray raced in Dahlonega, GA. The event was billed as a climbers delight, or (a non-climbers nightmare!) This omnium is run as a stage race. So consistancy will pay off, and a bad day will knock you out of GC contention. There were 3 individual stages used to determine the overall winner. Saturday morning started with a 7K uphill TT. That afternoon, we raced a 50K circuit race over rolling terrain and 1 grunt climb that would prove decisive. Finaly on Sunday there was the “Queen’s Stage” including 4 major climbs and some seriously technical decents. There are also time bonuses for KOM sprints along the course. These sprints are a key feature when trying to take back lost time.

Saturday morning we left the hotel for the TT. We made it there with enough time to drive the course. It was allot less steep than we had heard. However, it was still 7k, and almost all uphill. After we all took our turns suffering up the climb, we checked the times. It was clear that Andy had the legs this weekend. He was sitting in 10th, with Daniel a little further down in 15th and me being close to the bottom at 26th. My role as a workhorse was secured, and Daniel was close enough on time to be a wild card. Adam had a great time, but being in the Pro 123 field made his job much harder. His time put him at 15th, making him a workhorst for his young team leader.

After some lunch, and a nap at the hotel we were ready for the circuit race. Again, we arrived at the race site with enough time to drive the course. It looked OK, all rollers with some small climbs, but we missed a part of the course. The part we missed contained a short grunt climb. Probably only 200 meters long, but about 20 percent gradient. More on that later…

The race started on time and we were off. Andy was having no problems staying up at the front. After the first time up the “Pogio” (as we named the 20% grunt climb) it was clear that this was going to hurt. The heat alone was a huge factor. As we made our way through the course the pace picked up. Several attacks were thrown at the leader, but not having any teamates soon took it’s toll as he started to fade. By the time we reached the Pogio again the leader was on the limit. Leading into the grunt there was a large attack as everyone sensed that this could be a decisive move. I was also a victim of the attack and was close enough to see the Yellow jersey get popped, along with me and about 12 others. We were not able to get back to the group, so my day was over. Up the road the next to go was Daniel. He was riding very strong and feeling good when suddenly he flatted! By the time he got a wheel change it was too late, and he rode across the line solo. Andy was having great luck. He made a move with some other GC contenders, only to have the break sit up! Pissed off at his breakaway companions, he attacked them! This late move caused some confusion and resulted in only 1 rider coming across the gap to join him. A quick agreement between the two ensured that they would work together to stay away and finnish 1,2 for the stage. Andy told me that he had to promise the other rider that he wouldn’t attack him, or they would not have stayed away. Smart move Andy! Andy now had a second place finnish in the circuit race providing some payout, and moving him up to 8th in the GC. Adam worked his ass off chasing down every and all breaks. He finnished up 31st in the pro123 field.

Sunday.

This stage was the real deal. The GC would be decided today, and there were several times during the race where time would either be taken or lost. There were also 2 KOM sprints where time could be taken back. The stage started with a 7k climb. This was followed by a downhill and some rollers that led to the next climb which was shorter, but a little steeper. After this climb we would decend a very technical decent to the base of the third climb. After one more technical decent and some rollers, the course finaly came to the base of the first 7K climb to the finnish. The profile of the course looked like a Giro stage!

Mike Jackson made the long drive down early Sunday morning to join us in the race. Mike was coming in as a hired gun to help Andy with the GC. He had fresh legs and was unknown to the peloton.

On the first climb 7K long (about 5 min. into the race) I went to the front and started to set a tempo. After about 5 minutes my legs told me that they had other plans and i sifted back to the back of the group. Mike made his way to the front and continued where I left off. He set a fast tempo that prevented attacks, and put the hurt on about 9 guys including myself and Daniel. I popped off and would have to be content with seeing the boys at the finnish. Daniel hung tough and got back on during the decent.

On the next climb Mike and Andy were again up front and held good position going into the very technical decent. The decent proved too much for Mike and he got gapped off, loosing contact with the lead group. From this point on Andy was isolated and had to fend for himself. A break established after the KOM sprint at the top of the third climb and so the chase was on after that. Coming into the rollers before the penultimate climb the gap on the break closed to 15 seconds. But it was clear that the big guns in the chase group were watching each other and keeping there powder dry.

When they turned the corner to the final climb and the finish only 7K away, things started to get interesting. Nobody wanted to work at chasing down the break, fearing they may crack at some point. The pace was somewhat erratic, however they did fly up the hill! At the top Andy turned on the gas and sprinted with every ounce of energy he had left. He ended up 3rd in the field sprint putting him at 6th for the stage! This is a huge accomplishment, good job Andy! One by one we all came across the line. Mike came in at 24th, Daniel right behind at 25th, and me at 36th. Andy’s 6th place put him at 3rd overall for the GC. This is a great finnish for Andy and the team.

Adam ended up abandening after he came to the top. In his race they had to do one more loop, and one more time up the 7k climb. The pace set by reginal powerhouse: Thad Dulin, was insainly fast. Adam was the 7th man left in the field before giving up. I know Adam will come back next year with even more motivation to win!

We all agreed that it was one of the hardest races we had ever done. Between the heat and the elevation gain Dahlonega is a badass event. We all agreed we will be back next year gunning for the win!

Text and photos by: Zach Bannow