Daniel and Derek's First Stazio
April 30, 2006
We got a cool road/cross bike from the local racing society (ACA) and Derek did his second and Daniel did his first race on it this Sunday at the Stazion event. Derek raced just one lap (1.1 miles with about a hundred feet of climbing). He started off as the lantern rouge, but reeled everyone in, save for two, on the hill. There were only about seven or eight in the race and it included boys and girls. This was the 7-10 year olds, so Derek will race in this division for two more years.
Derek rode on his mountain bike because the new bike is very big for him and he didn't have enough time to practice because we didn't pick up the bike until the night before. Derek chased down the second place kid, who was also riding a mountain bike, who was also wearing a Sponge Bob Square Pants jersey, and who was also about Derek's size. They were locked in a furiously battle. The kid in front would constantly look over his shoulder to check on Derek. I rode each race with the kids and did some coaching. Here I told Derek to get up on the kid's wheel. I told the same to Daniel in his race, but both kids didn't do this too well. They mostly rode off to the side by five feet or more, so we'll have to practice this.
Derek finally got lined up behind the kid in the final straight-away. I kept
telling Derek to wait, wait, wait, don't pass this kid yet. They had a sign
marking "200 meters" to the finish line and I told Derek to go at
about 150 meters. This might have been a bit far out for Derek because she
shot clearly into the lead and opened up a bike length or more on the other
kid. His opponent didn't give up, though, and fought back. Derek was too strong,
though, and held him off to win by a bike length. It was a very exciting finish
with both kids standing up and giving it their all. Derek finished in second
place (the winner was way off the front) and got to stand on the podium.
Daniel's race was immediately, the 11-12 year olds. Daniel had to do two laps and he rode very well, shifting his new bike nicely. This bike is so much better than his old mountain bike that he no long will fear hills and can really fly on the downhills and flats. Daniel spent most of the racde battling with another kid, also on a road bike, but wasn't able to get by at the end. after did his second race and finished second in an incredible sprint finish where he rode the other kid's wheel until 150 meters to go where he sprinted for the line, winning by a bike length!
Daniel did awesome on his new bike. He only got it the night before so he was still getting used to all the shifting. He looked really comfortable and pushed hard, but it was a tough field.
They both enjoyed it a lot and want to do more. The nice thing for us parents is that the races are free for all kids under 18. DBC Events are really trying to grow the sport.
