LAVRA Spring Omnium, 7 May 2022
"Let's go...
Are you ready hey, are you ready for this?
Are you hanging on the edge of your seat?
"...Another one bites the dust
Another one bites the dust
And another one gone and another one gone..."
The song did come on over the speakers at Saturday's LAVRA Spring Series races at the Velo Sports Center, the timing of it though, it was a little off. The Spring Series takes place over three months, one weekend each, three consecutive days with mass-start races on the Saturdays, that means Points races, Scratch races, Tempo, Snowball, Elimination, Win and Out, and Madison races. The mass-start races are followed by time trials on Sunday, and then match sprints on Monday. The same schedule took place in April, and will take place again in June.
"... Are you happy are you satisfied
How long can you stand the heat...
Another one bites the dust
Another one bites the dust..."
Some track races can leave even the most veteran of officials scratching their heads while trying to catch up with the action and pin-point the race leader, Elimination Races allow them (and everyone else attempting to keep score) to catch their breath, rest their eyes and their brains. With a rider being pulled from the race every other lap, the field of competitors becomes smaller and smaller until only two remain, and then it's go man go, until the final one goes down. Elimination races are easy to keep track of.
"... But I'm ready yes I'm ready for you
I'm standing on my own two feet
Out of the doorway the bullets rip
Repeating to the sound of the beat
Another one bites the dust
Another one bites the dust..."
Of course, there is something to be said for the Points Races too. Frequently, including on this day, riders will take a flyer early in the hope that they can accumulate points uncontested. Not only is there the excitement of the solo rider and the chase, but if enough points are collected by the rider out in front, it can set up a furious battle in the later laps as others try to make up their deficits.
Whether it was (quietly) rooting for a pair of locals - Hey Karlene and Charlene, being amazed by the power of a couple of America's speediest - Chloe Patrick and Eddy Huntsman, or the never-ending challenge to the speed of those two, put up by the other competitors, the exhibited skill of the Madison's hand-slinging, or just the future promise of the up-and-coming racers as they test themselves in competition. Anyway, I am yet to be disappointed by the racing that takes place at the velodrome, and Saturday was no exception.
Omnium podiums:
Women Cat 4/Novice: 1st Alexa Castro, 2nd Heidi Thomas, 3rd Emy Solis
Men Cat 4/Novice: 1st Dalton Thornsberry, 2nd Zachary Thomas, 3rd Noah Shaw
Men Cat 3: 1st Tommy Robles, 2nd Matthew Amara, 3rd Aidan Beckman
Women Pro/1-3: 1st Chloe Patrick, 2nd Hayley Bates, 3rd Estephany Valdivia
Men Pro/1-2: 1st Eddy Huntsman, 2nd Gonzalo Olivos, 3rd Alex Brewer
women cat 4/novice
women pro/1-3
You may have read elsewhere how the US Sprint program has recently taken up residence at the Velo Sports Center, and about how the program has signed a multi-year partnership with Look and Corima. It is still a long way out, but there is a significant build-up taking place ahead of the 2028 Olympic Games. Exciting? Yes!
For me, the day ended with some Madison action, though there was still a full afternoon of Juniors racing to take place. A simple one hour drive in the morning was anticipated to, and indeed did, take twice as long returning home in the afternoon. Ah well, there is always June 4th and who knows, maybe by then i'll have a more indoor appropriate lens for the camera (considering how much they cost, though, I may need to sell a lung).
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