New course was interesting and threw some completely new tactical issues into this race. The corners (aka off-camber roundabouts) on this thing are notorious for causing crashes and this year they kept up their reputation. In the 3s there were four or five that I saw. At least two of them were solo efforts. The new open road around the lake looked like a good place to move up but it turned out that the pace was really high at the beginning of the extra loop and once the pack settled the road narrowed. If you weren't in the front from start to finish in this race, it was pretty hard to move up. The turns on the old course kept everyone in the back slowing and having to jump hard to keep the pack together. Really good training for me but frustrating to make any headway out of a packfill finish (make that back of the pack fill). Remember kids, it is easier to race towards the front in very turny/technical crits. 92 started and 67 finished: I rolled in at 60th. I am not a big fan of the assumed last-lap-crash-scene and sat up. Sprinting and defending 30th place is not my thing.
This year's random road obstructions did not include drunken/dazed transients but geese waddling into the road. The marshalls did a pretty good job corralling them but the group had to split in half to keep from creaming one.
Race Summary: pace was around 27 average; great training for later races; it's only June 1, goal for the year and reason for racing 3s is to stomach having to jump out of turns (definitely worked that to death), stayed upright and healthy.
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