08/10/02 by Team Summit
TEAM SUMMIT WITH THREE IN THE TOP TWENTY AT THE GROVEPORT CRITERIUM. OVERALL SERIES PLACEMENT AFTER MARYSVILLE:
11 JIM GILLMORE
16 DENIS OSOWSKI
36 JIM MULLINS
Well, well, another stage and another 3 Summit Freewheelers in the top 20! This is easy to get used to! No podium today folks but the team put in another fine effort causing people to take notice of Team Summit.
Today's stage was set on one of the smoothest running courses in the series with a wide open run at the finish. Great for the sprinters. Right off the start/finish line was what the locals call Crooked Alley with good reason! Cyclists made a hard right into the one lane alley sweeping to the right followed by a hard left then hard right back onto a long straight away into the wind. No extra charge for that either. Gotta love it.
These races all seem to have the same flavor. Pace is very high through the first 1/2 of the race then lets up a bit as those with the energy to burn do so. Either they get up the road or they don't (more often the latter) and allows the rest of the field to recover for the final laps....which are of course very fast again.
Starting today's stage in a warm but not terribly uncomfortable temperature were Team Summit's Shawn Adams, Angelo Catalano, Chad Brown, Jim Gilmore, Jim Mullins, and Denis Osowski.
Groveport was similar to Perrysburg (Stage 1) in that a break group got away early and stayed away. In only one other race has a breakaway won the race and that was Marysville (Stage 6) courtesy of the home team a single rider got away with three to go. Today, however, the break group established mid way through the race and had representation from every major team (except Team Summit). The field was racing for 8th place.
While Team Summit was not represented in the break it wasn't for lack of trying. Jim Mullins took an early flyer with Tris Hopkins and Jeremy Grimm and that stayed up the road for the first 10 to 15 laps of the 50 lap race. Osowski did his best along with Bill Matheys and Tom Freuh (both CVV) to hold back the field but it was not enough and the break was brought back.
Unfortunately anyone caught "resting" near the back of the field at Groveport was at the mercy of the "Crooked Alley." Riders having to slow through this section had to chase into the wind and up a false flat at 30 mph to close the gap. Just about the time they'd get back on, it was time to do it again. If the legs failed and a rider could not maintain position, their race was definitely over. Indeed, only 27 of the 53 starters managed to finish Groveport and 3 of the finishers were Team Summit riders!
As the end came near Summit riders Shawn Adams and Denis Osowski were working toward the front in order to give Jim Gilmore the lead out for his sprint. As the field approached start/finish and heard the bell toll for the last lap, Osowski jumped hard down the left side of the road with Adams on his wheel. Unfortunately, Osowski jumped a wee bit too hard and gapped Adams enough for another rider to slide in between. That rider slowed and wound up boxing Adams in. Osowski hit the Crooked Alley first and fast and coming out the other side found he established a one or two second advantage. Knowing the field would pursue and tow Gilmore with them, Osowski kept on the gas. Turning onto the ¼ mile finish straight, Osowski could see the finish line ahead. A peek under his arm let Osowski knew that he had to stay on the gas in an effort not to get swarmed. With just 2 seconds to spare, he carried enough speed to stay ahead and easily capture 8th place. Behind, Gilmore and Adams sprinted their way into the top 20 at 16th and 20th respectively.
Team Summit is headed for Loveland on Sunday feeling like definite players in the Tour of Ohio. With at least one member (Jim Gilmore) situated to take a top 10 spot in the overall series ranking Team spirit is high. Not bad for a team racing in its first year!
See you from Loveland, Ohio. Go Summit!