Alpenrose Six Day Two

Despite dark clouds looming over Alpenrose all day and two rain delays, day two of the sixday still went off. This looks to be a race for second in the A group as Hartley/Weir continue to dominate the field winning basically everything. There are however four days left and stranger things have happened.

25 Lap Tempo

After a mellow start the favorites decided to stretch their legs with Hartley, Beardsley and Kic putting a sizable gap between them and the rest of the field, eating up all the points and pushing the tempo to a dizzying pace. Kic eventually fell off the lead trio putting himself into the back of the group. Blackwelder realizing the Gentle Lovers were now without a man in the lead group and therefore in danger of watching the second place finish ride away bridged the gap to keep in competition. Unfortunately though Blackwelder made a perfect stepping-stone for Wier and Lingwood to catch up with their respective teammates. Blackwelder was now out-manned and out-gunned with no teammate in the group of 5. (We were told there would be no math so we didn’t exactly keep track of points. As such an accurate finishing order will have to wait to be posted on OBRA.)

20 Lap Progressive Points Race

Hartley took all the points in the beginning, and all the points in the end but was kind enough to let some other people do a little racing in the middle. During the middle laps Beardsley, Kic and Blackwelder escaped from the field. It looked like the Gentle Lovers might finally have the opportunity they had wished for that could make up some of the point deficit Beardsly/Lingwood put them in on day one. All was going to plan until Hartley blazed across the gap w/ the field not far behind. Lingwood, showing some impressive form in the Sixday, took one of the late sprints gaining valuable points to hold Kic/Blackwelder at bay. Shortly after Hartley flew the coop leaving the field tattered in his wake claiming all the remaining points. ( See above re: math etc)

30 Minute Madison

Hartley/Weir distanced themselves even further from their rivals in both points and laps leaving a daunting if not insurmountable task for any team wishing to catch the dominant duo by the Sixday’s end. The battle for 2nd, though not as prestigious still incredibly exciting, had Beardsley/Lingwood and Kic/Blackwelder taking every opportunity to try and shake the other team loose. Each time the dropped team would somehow claw their way back and push the tempo further—frankly it looked painful and all around unpleasant but that is often the best kind of racing. Beardsley and Peter Drake provided some excitement when they tried to occupy the same space on the back straight on a sprint lap. An audible clashing of elbows and words could be heard from the stands. Experienced riders both, it sorted itself out quickly without anyone hitting the deck (further proof that my curse at the track has been lifted).
As the Madison was drawing to a close Hartley/Weir were well on their way to gaining a lap and it looked as though Kic/Blackwelder had finally gotten away from Beardsly/Lingwood. The Lovers' legs were beginning to fail though and Beardsley showed us some of that stellar kilo/pursuit form he’s been unleashing early this season and at the AVC. Beardsly/Lingwood not only closed the gap but also left the Lovers behind to finish even on laps and points w/ Kic/Blackwelder for the day. Both teams put in impressive showings and even at times put some good challenges to Weir/Hartley but in the end Team BMC left everyone behind giving themselves quite an advantage in winning the coveted red, white, and blue National Sixday Champions jersey.

More or Less Accurate Day Two Overall Totals

1. Hartley/Weir 0 laps, 80pts
2. Beardsley/Lingwood -2 laps 73pts
3. Kic/Blackwelder -2 laps 49pts
4. Drake/Boxberger -6 laps 25pts
5. Simmons/Hoefer -8 laps 23pts
6. Dumortier/Lacey -8 laps 22pts